Day 256 - 259: February Blessings

Day 256 - Saturday, February 25
After a whirlwind week, I needed the peace of a solo 7 mile hike in Griffith Park. Nothing like the natural world to return you to sanity and a place of peace.


Day 257 - Sunday, February 26
I did my taxes. So grateful for refunds!

Day 258 - Monday, February 27

I have the best sister in the world. If I could have picked, I would have picked her out of all the possible sisters. Happy birthday Laura! I'm so glad you're in my life.


Day 259 - Tuesday, February 28
Today was the day I started riding my bike to work! Oh goodness I will get in shape fast - it's 7.2 miles each way.

Sweet wheels!

Days 254 - 255

Day 254 - Thursday, February 23

"To find out what one is fitted to do and to secure an opportunity to do it is key to happiness."
— John Dewey

Speaking of that key - today I received my official offer letter from Northwestern.

Day 255 - Friday, February 24


Rest in peace Grandma Frieda (1/25/37 - 2/24/12).

Days 243 - 253: Notes from the Field

For Sunday, February 12 - Wednesday, February 22

So first, I apologize for being very behind. But I hope I can offer so much goodness and gratitude to make up for my incredible tardiness. And in my defense, I had to travel to Chicago for crazy stressful interviews, I was sick, I have jury duty, and my grandmother is on her deathbed.

Last week (February 13 - 15), I was in LA and I really valued being able to take some time to process what was happening. I appreciate the ability and the discipline of learning to make time for myself, whether that be swimming in the rain because I needed time to think and meditate and exert myself, or sitting in an intensive meditation the night before I went to Chicago to really sit with and own myself prior to such an important and influential, pivotal, life-changing experience.

In Chicago, I was delighted to meet some new friends and fellow travelers. I was drawn to their stories and their work, and so ecstatic to be on the road with these people in the fall - to be able to get to know them better as I embark down a new road.

And as always, I am excited for the culinary possibilities of a new place!


I had a really great time poking around at the Field Museum. Curator Alaka Wali let us poke around the anthropology collections room, relatively unsupervised! More photos coming, when my phone starts working. I can't wait to start working with the collection!


I am also incredibly grateful to receive an offer from Northwestern. I have worked for this for so long. And I am proud of what I have accomplished, happy to be where I am and beginning this next phase, and looking forward to what's around the curve.

And yesterday, Day 252, my cousin David became a father. Welcome to this gorgeous crazy life, little Annabella!

I also came across this gorgeous project, which I thought you'd like:

Seconds Of Beauty - 1st round compilation from The Beauty Of A Second on Vimeo.

And I leave you with this:
"Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day."
— Benjamin Franklin

May your days be filled with moments of beauty, and your eyes anointed to truly see them.

Days 240 - 242: Pushing Ahead

Day 240 - Thursday, February 9
So grateful that damn conference is behind me. And for getting home at 6:30p and being able to just pass out.

Day 241 - Friday, February 10
Because that conference was so stressful, I was let out early today. I went and swam laps before heading to happy hour at The Tar Pit with my friend Aurora. It was great to catch up with her. I was inspired by her enthusiasm - she is in love. It made me hopeful!

Day 242 - Saturday, February 11

Baby limes growing! (Hint: there are two!)


Baby beans and carrots growing!


My little Angeleno garden and yard make me so happy. I could say such trite things as "bloom where you're planted" or "you reap what you sow." They'd be trite, but they'd also be true.

Days 236 - 239

Day 236 - February 5
Seven miles in Griffith Park on a sunny Sunday morning. Alone. Bliss.

Day 237 - February 6
After winning $70 on the pool at our Superbowl party yesterday (Go Giants!), I bought myself a new pair of spry red shoes I've been eyeing for a while. So excited to wear them!

Day 238 - February 7
Tonight I got to catch up with a friend and mentor from New York, Catherine Fukushima. We had dinner at True Food Kitchen, a great place in Santa Monica. Dinner was so delicious! And it was great to catch up.

Day 239 - February 8
Today I am running a diversity & inclusion summit at Mattel. Their Asian employees group made up a list of the best places to get Asian food (everything from Vietnam to India!) in LA, on a map with names of restaurants and the must-try dishes there. Score! Can't wait to try SE Asian noodle soup, chicken korma, moon dumplings (!), and all sorts of other delights here in SoCal someday soon!

Days 233 - 235: Swimming, roasted peppers and Ballona

Day 233 - February 2
Today was a lap-swimming day. I am really enjoying swimming in my new suit that my sister got me for for Christmas, and it has been inspiring me. Isn't it crazy how sometimes just a change of appearance or clothing can make you feel so powerful?

Day 234 - February 3
TGIF!
Tonight I visited with my dear friend Berna and I made a really great new recipe for dinner. We had pasta with roasted peppers and sausage. It was so delicious. I was pretty excited about how it turned out, and how amazing and wonderful roasted peppers taste just from sitting under the broiler for 20 minutes. We'll be doing that again soon!

Day 235 - February 4
Today my new friend Amy and I biked the Ballona Creek Bike path from its start in Culver City out to Playa Del Rey. In total it was 20 miles.



Not bad, huh?
This is going to be a new weekend activity! Next time I'll take my suit and a picnic for lunch at the beach. I'm grateful too to make a new friend - I met Amy through a friend, and she also went to Seattle U. Amy is also into trying stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, more biking, and all sorts of outdoors activities, so I'm really stoked to have found a new friend to get out and enjoy California together.

Day 232: First of February!

A new month is here!

Day 231: Anticipation

I am trying to be grateful for anticipation, at least. Trying to cherish that sweet not-knowing feeling, the exhilaration of possibility.

NB: I apologize that my blog has become so non-image heavy. My digital camera broke recently and I have yet to fix it/buy a new one. I am grateful for technology - especially when it works!

Farewell, January 2012. Already!