seattle sixteen: green

seattle sixteen: blue

Here are dogs that are better dressed than you

Last October, I made myself and Ann go to a doggy Halloween costume parade at Thompson Square Park so we could surround ourselves with dogs. So this is what rich people are up to nowadays, I thought, staring longingly at a chihuahua rolling in on a giant princess castle on wheels. Anyway, it got pretty crazy and crowded quickly - small dogs needed to be carried so they wouldn't get kicked around and die. I mostly spent all day chasing around golden retrievers and big dogs because obviously the big, furry ones are always my favorite. I shamelessly took photos of dogs and their people, which took up an entire roll of film, just so I can do...what with it?! So I guess I'll just post them here. ENJOY



^ "What is life"

06.01.16

It's already June...good god. Are we already halfway through 2016?

- Summer came at us fast. Literally overnight, I was sweating in my sleep because my apartment traps heat and I didn't have an a/c unit. It's so hot. Even in the middle of the night. I'd wake up sweating and throw all my blankets and shirt to the ground and lay there as still as I could. Nope, didn't help. Special shoutout to all the generations that made it through life without the a/c.

- I turned 26 a few weeks ago. I celebrated it by eating through New York City with my sister and switching jobs and then taking some days off to go on an epic GoT marathon. I'm so emotionally exhausted. This show just loves to hurt you.

- We found 2 cockroaches in our apartment so far. Coco and Roro. Pretty sure all of their extended families are already nesting somewhere within these walls.

Quick break for happy thoughts, because f roaches.

- I've been obsessed with The 1975's new album and particularly with this song, at first because it's got some sick jazz gospel vibe but also because of the piercing lyrics. "If I believe you" is basically written from a perspective of a nonbeliever, or maybe an atheist, who is struggling with the notion of religion and spirituality, challenged with seeking higher power and purpose in life. As someone who grew up Christian, I can't say that I haven't had my doubts and struggles in believing in all the religious customs that are obvious to religious church-goers. For me, it wasn't so much about believing in God as it was about feeling accepted in the church. There was always a standard to maintain, a way I was expected to be as a church-going Christian Korean-American girl, and I disagreed with a lot of the things that were preached to me because it didn't feel like some of it was about God anymore. But of course, that's just one of many experiences people sometimes have with religious institutions, and churches are not perfect because no one is perfect. But the struggle is real, and I thought Matthew Healy did a great job of capturing that struggle.

- Photo: somewhere in the East Village, Dec 2015. Fujifilm 400 + Nikon FM10.

The anatomy of a sunset

The truth is, I don't really see sunsets anymore. But that's what you get for living in a concrete jungle, deprived of actual sunlight and an open sky. My favorite thing about living in Texas used to be seeing the enormous sky burn until it faded out purple and pink then dark blue when I'd be out driving in flatland. It was absolutely gorgeous and I still believe to this day that Texas has the best sunset out of all places I've ever lived. This weekend though, I got to discover the southern tip of Manhattan and the breathtaking view from Battery Park. I don't think I've just sat there and watched the sunset in a really long time...and there's not a moment it's not gorgeous.

It's okay to hang out with yourself

CUZ YOU'RE WORTH IT.


Number one lesson you learn in New York City is that you don't make pointless eye contact with strangers, no matter where you are / what time of the day it is. Again, I might be super jaded at this point, but no one warned me about eye contact when I first moved here and I can tell you from personal experience that it has done more harm than good. Maybe I'm just extra paranoid and assume that all strangers who smile at me are super creepy but trust me, you don't want to send even the faintest signal that you're chill with this weird, random, often slightly sensual nonverbal exchange unless they are actually David Beckham. Or Chris Pratt. Anyway, one other major reason I started wearing headphones even if I'm not listening to music and avoiding eye contact at all cost is because some people actually try to make a move while trying to convince me that I'm Asian when in fact that is literally the last thing I need convincing of. But super offensive and racist street harassment aside, it's just unpleasant to be bothered when you've had a long day at work or at the gym dying on the stairmaster.

Anyway, I'm saying all this because I find myself alone a lot since I moved in September. Big city can really teach you a lot about yourself and others.









But of course, nothing beats good company. I'm just learning to be a confident human being who is completely comfortable with herself, because I believe that a lot of our fears in being "alone" comes from our own insecurities. But that's just my opinion.




Hope you had a good weekend.

Currently listening: blossom dearie - manhattan