I try to give blood as often as I can. Today's screening took extra long because of my blood pressure (kind of low at 100/60) and the nurses had to take time out to look up all the countries I visited... city by city, transportation and all! I didn't know how specific it was! Anyhow, I was good to go!!
Sadly, they told me after my visit to Costa Rica, I would not be able to donate for a whole year~ good thing I went in today!!
They stuck a pipe of a needle in my arm~ =(
on the brighter side, the nurses did an awesome job... no bruises! =)
Today's goodies: hot dog (gone completely wrong due to the missing ketchup!),
In&Out gift card, stress ball, & t-shirt.
I find a deeper appreciation for life when serving others. Whether through my career path or volunteering in the community, I find purpose~
Many might remember the devastating 7.0 earthquake in Haiti of 2010... Soon after, a dear friend (whom I worked alongside in philanthropy) & I wanted to direct our focus on the relief efforts before embarking on our annual vacation. We wanted to be there physically to lend a helping hand... Unfortunately, after reaching out to several organizations, we were unable to find an appropriate opportunity...
Fast forward to July 2011... I have a close friend who's flying out to help out at a Haitian orphanage!! She extended an invitation for us to donate gifts to the children... PSSHHHH, you don't have to ask me twice!! hahah and you can't be stingy with these things anyway!! =P
It's so heart-warming to know I have friends & relatives who are equally passionate about helping out those in need.
I'm so encouraged by those who can be selfless without entertaining the thought of being deserving. Thank u all!! Especially to BS, JC, CM, DN & company, AA & RJ <3 Your generosity will go a long way!!
A trunk-full of school supplies, toiletries, toys, clothes, etc.
(don't mind the boogie board... that stays in there year-long haha!)
....have to, have to, have to... I want to, want to, want to... I NEEEEEED TO...
dine at the newest, hottest Peruvian/Japanese fusion tapas restaurant, Picca!!!! OH. MY. GAHT!
Confession: I am a blog addict. Especially food blogs!!!
I heard about the 50 course challenge @ Picca where the goal is to try every menu item in one sitting... ehhh, not too interested... what REALLY caught my attention was the chef's impressive background! A native of Lima, Peru (I'm even more excited since I visited Peru in August 2010), Chef Ricardo Zarate has had much experience in various kitchens world-wide. Recently, he was part of Providence's Four on Fish- a dinner collaboration between Chef Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Chef Hiro Urasawa (Urasawa), Chef Ricardo Zarate (Mo-Chica & Picca), and Chef Ludo Lefebvre (LudoBites). I've only been to Providence, but I knew these four chefs were iconic in the culinary world. Chef Zarate was also deemed one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs earlier this year! With the skills he acquired, he is starting off his new venture (since May 2011), Picca! I absolutely love Peruvian and I will never get sick of Japanese... Thank you, Chef Zarate, you've created a playground for my ready-to-live-life palate!!
I MUST dine here before I depart for Costa Rica!! =P
In light of our last wsg meeting, we decided to have a "see you later" activity day~ I'm ALWAYS appreciative of any time spent with these girls! We are so very different, yet so similar in numerous ways~ I love how we have similar passions & how we can easily laugh together! I've only know them for a short period of time, but the level of intimacy shared between our group allows me to feel a tight bond with each individual. Exposing yourself truly opens doors to growth & it defines relationships. I love you all!! <3
taken by CK!
The beginning of the trail was easy & all downhill. The journey back... not so much~ =P
freeze!... picture time~~
Totally overexposed, but I LOVE this pic <3
getting lost in His beauty
yellow fever
Spoon House! The most interesting Italian/Japanese fusion spaghetti~
(i.e., sea urchin, squid, fish flakes, seaweed, roe, etc... you choose!)
Falling in love with Chicago
Our little dong seng (younger sibling by blood or relation) visited a few months ago after starting law school in Chicago... She came back SKINNYYYY. My friends and I took notice and thought of a brilliant idea!! We wanted to visit & tour the city, but we also wanted to stock her refrigerator to ensure she's being taken care of... Once we flew in, we realized she was doing GREAT for herself! She basically took care of US during the trip~ hahah
I had such a fabulous time with these three ladies~ Mainly, because (1) we share conversations that feed my soul- there is depth, encouragement, thoughtfulness, integrity, humor, & Christ, (2) we're drama free, & (3) we indulged in music & arts! Hands down, a very memorable weekend!!
Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip:
Best breakfast @ Yolk
Northwestern University library
Chicago skyline from the 96th floor of the John Hancock Center
My favorite drink, Jack & coke.
hahahaha!!
coming to life, Lurie Garden
I love the energy of this pic!!! LOL
Isn't this such a calming picture??
Looks like she's deep in thought... never stop that engine~
hamburger festival!
Lighting makes or breaks a pic~
I <3 cherry tomatoes!
A miniature fountain on the sidewalk... tinted blue....
First thing that came to mind: 2000 Flushes =P
Don't you love the horse carriage in the background?!?!
M had to leave early for school & work our last day there.
We placed post-it notes all around her apartment, made a flower arrangement,
& restocked her kitchen.
This one would've looked better w Lake Michigan showing through the window~
Still need to figure out how to do that without compensating the yellow...
Wedding Bells
Joshy Woshy (aka Happy) finally got married this weekend!! Congratulations!!! Some of my fondest memories from college are shared with him~ From dorming in Zapotec, Templo Del Sol to hanging out with him & other friends/roomies @ College Manor. We were a pretty tight knit group of friends, but we branched off after graduating. I realized its been 4-5 years since I've seen some of them! It was so heart warming to catch up with these old friends and I had such a great time being in their company~
Pictures taken with Droid, Incredible2:
2.5 hrs of traffic!!!
I gave myself ample time for traveling, but ended up arriving right when the ceremony ended...
I felt like the biggest jerk!!
Never met the two on the ends, but I wanted a picture of the couple in front of the marina!! heheh
program <3
We had 3 hours to kill... so in light of our college days,
we challenged ourselves to a game of beer pong! hahah
mom-to-be!!!!
dad-to-be getting some practice in =P
2 month old mom?!?!?! omg... I was getting hit left & right with shocking news~ lol
baby Niko <3 <3
the boys with overflowing personalities!
Happy looks so happy =)
The gang! Ahhhh such good times~~
The ladies showing the peanut some love~~
We were soooooo exhausted afterwards!! haha
Costa Rica is "pura vida"
Next up, CR!!! I'm eagerly anticipating this trip!!! I'm a girl who admires mother nature's beauty! I love swimming in the ocean, camping, hiking, taking in views from mountaintops (or helicopters! =P), etc... As cliche as it is, I love "smelling the roses".... we often take these things for granted, but take a second to breathe in the natural beauty of the outdoors~ I definitely find it humbling when realizing how BIG the sky/ocean/mountains are and how insignificant my problems and worries are... anyway, CR is all about lush lands (& big insects!! ewww)... I found this video and it just made me all the more excited about my upcoming vacation!
"and Puerto Rico is another country" HAHAHA!!!
The concept of "pura vida" is accepted country wide. The literal translation is "pure life." It's the country's motto, their way of life (similar to the idea of hakuna matata). Not only does it reflect a relaxed, easy-going lifestyle, it can also be used in salutations.
-¡Diay Felipe! ¿Cómo vas? -Hey, Felipe! How’s it going?
-Pura vida, ¿y vos? -Pura vida, and you?
-¡Nos vemos mañana! -See you tomorrow!
-Pura vida, ¡chao! -Pura vida, bye!
-¡Muchas gracias! -Thank you very much!
-¡Pura vida! -¡Pura vida!
-¿Usted conoce a María? -Do you know Maria?
-¡Claro! Ella es muy pura vida. -Sure! She’s very pura vida.
A little stress is always good~ I think stress helps us strive, excel, work harder under pressure. However, stress in heavy doses can be harmful to your health. Pura vida is my preferred mentality on life in general~ anything that can promote longevity, prevent wrinkles, & ensure an enjoyable life is MY CUP OF TEA!! cheers~~ =)
My coworker and I coincidentally booked our CR vacations around the same time. He visited a month ago and came back with pamphlets galore for me & my travel buddy!! So thoughtful, right?? =)
There is such a diverse supply of equipment; a trampoline, zip line, ball pit, monkey bars, tunnels, rock climbing wall, you name it! The most interesting thing to see is how the therapists use the equipment in unconventional ways to keep it "interesting" or more specific for the individual being treated. Working with little ones is challenging in itself, & to facilitate an effective therapy session, you have to keep up with the child. No wonder being creative is a key component of being successful in OT~ you have to continually think on your feet! They generally work alongside children with disorders but are not limited to that. They can also work with kids who have bad eating habits, who are hyperactive, who have a speech impairment, who are fearful, etc.
There are such interesting things about the profession (i.e., what the therapists seek out). You think the kids are merely playing, but OTs are looking for motor planning skills, gaging if the child needs probing (tool to help kids identify their position in space), etc... I'm still learning a whole lot & it just gets more & more interesting!!
Yesterday, I heard about the use of kinesio tape. I think it's used in sports medicine to tape up injured joints or for muscle support. Anyhow, they discovered the benefits behind using it with pediatric patients. It can be used to help with oral motor control (articulation), lip/mouth closure (which can also help decrease drooling), & overall jaw stabilization. I wonder if it'll work on adults who sleep with their mouths open? HAHAHAH!! To read more about kinesio tape...
I couldn't be happier for them! Both are teachers and were set up by their own students! So, to my single teacher friends, be nice to your students too! hahah you just never know~ (excluding HRK... I'm not too confident your district has connections to YOUR prince charming... hahaha BUT, I may be wrong!)
Anyhow, they're such a cute & loving couple- they compliment one another perfectly! He continually (& I mean, continually) speaks highly of her, it's hard NOT to adore her. It's sweet how he's so proud; proud of her wits, her musical abilities, her heart, her talents, her faults, her everything! At times, I have to hold down my vomit, but really, it's an admirable kind of love!!! Once again, congratulations & I love you both!!!
brother/sister shot!
Nostril shot of my handsome cousins! hehe
Girls working the guest table.
Hand-made fondant cake toppers from their surprise engagement!
The Kim mafia... we couldn't keep a straight face for long so we gave up~
baby cousin & imo
This cutie has so much aegyo! hahah
I wish I had photoshop... this shot has some potential!
bride's mom & dad
My fondest memory: our cousin cabin trip. He taught me how to snowboard!!
....By having me suffer down the black diamond slope!!!!! -______-
lol I still love him & am thankful for my day of misery. =P
keeping it classy with pearls <3
Childhood friends easily warm the heart!
my energetic, giggly, & LOVABLE nephew
My lil princess!! She's so intelligent, kind-hearted, & mannered!
I didn't realize until afterwards, but she patiently waited for me to finish my food so we can have cake together... at the same time... hahah soooo cute, I died...
I asked this lil one for a BIIIIIIIG smile hahah!
The most amazing role models.
pae bek- a ceremony to welcome the bride into the groom's familly.
The kirogi (geese) mate for life and so, signifies faithfulness.
My grandma!
I appreciate the times we can chat & laugh together... even with my broken Korean!
My aunts are crack-ups! If you sit in a room with us, you'll notice we're always laughing...
& our laughs all sound the same! hahaha!
With her favorite uncle!
One day...
Traditional wear for pae bek.
(once the costume of the noble class)
Such vibrant colors!
Our little helper.
If unfamiliar, read on pae bek ceremony & add another wrinkle in your brain. =)
PG wedding = no alcohol
10% of me was disappointed (haha!), but It was an incredibly beautiful wedding!!
Powdered donuts!
Every time I lifted my camera, he mirrored me & lifted his donut. LOL
