One Year Shy of Three Cycles

The TARDIS

In the western world, you celebrate Sweet 16, your becoming legal at 18, your legally drinking age at 21, and then when you turn 30, 35, 40, 45 and what not. Us Thais, we traditionally celebrate every 12 years.  It’s a complete cycle in the Chinese zodiac. These years are supposed to be your milestones in life. At 12, you’re not little kid any more–you’re becoming a teenager.  At 24, you’re now becoming a responsible adult. At 36, you’ve got stuff to show for now that you’ve been an adult awhile. At 48 and onward, you’re just celebrating having been...
Continue reading...

Beginning of the End

This past Sunday last year was the last time I saw my friend Gregg healthy. Gregg, Brandon and I went to the Los Alamitos Wings, Bolts,and Something show for a photographer day out.  Gregg had said he’d been a bit under the weather but he thought going out for a nice day of walking would be good.  So we walked down to the base to look at planes and classic cars. We split up to get lunch.  When I came back to see Gregg, he was holding a bottle of water in line for his food.  He motioned to me...
Continue reading...

Getting My Eyes Opened

It’s been 6 months since my career change. I have experienced so much in half a year than I’ve ever had in a long time. Obviously, I’ve experienced being completely and totally unemployed. I’ve experienced life as an independent contractor, working with a few clients on a few small projects; as a hired hand for any odd jobs; and as a party hostess and promoter for a product. And now as a full-time freelancer at a huge advertising firm. I’ve always wanted to work in advertising since I made up my mind in 8th grade. I did summer internships at...
Continue reading...

Here come the USC Trojans

Amy and Oakley

Shift your gear, people. We’re coming out of the summer movie geek out and going into fall USC football madness. From tomorrow through Thanksgiving, count me out for any Saturday activities.  Thankfully, many games this season will be in the evening, so I won’t have to miss much of my Italian lessons starting up in a few weeks. What? Italian classes on Saturday mornings during football season?  Are you mad!?  As my husband would say, “you did that to yourself.” Yeah, I guess I’m masochistic that way. First game of the year lands on Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, a lot...
Continue reading...

Lost and Found

Wandering

All who wander are not lost. But when you’ve wandered around a while, you’re starting believe that you might really be lost. Since my 6-year career at the nonprofit ended in March, I’ve been wandering in and out of small projects and side jobs, and online and in-person interviews. I’ve wandered into the territory of full-time freelancing, puffed up with optimism and confidence. But some negative experiences with people along with what Seth Godin called “Lizard Brain”–the resistance part of your brain telling you to slow down and be careful–sent me packing. Eventually, I return to the familiar open space...
Continue reading...

iPodyssey returns

ipodyssey

Last year, I participated in the Wise Guys Events first-ever iPodyssey, an Mp3 flash mob event.  An offshoot of New York City’s famous Improv Everywhere‘s MP3 experiment. I’m going to do it again this year! Many of the folks I know from Thrill the World and GuerilLA Improv were there too.  Well, some of us from GLA were already at the rehearsal for the flash mob musical so we just headed down the freeway from there. It was so much fun!  Running around with all these strangers, following only the voices in your ears.  Other people were looking on like WTF...
Continue reading...