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Happy Lunar New Year! … to those who celebrate …

Today is Lunar New Year. I feel like in the last few years, Lunar New Year has become really hip among corporations and businesses. No matter the product, they have their Lunar New Year sales and promotions. Even my local newspaper has a "Happy Lunar New Year" banner at the top of their website with… Continue reading Happy Lunar New Year! … to those who celebrate …

Pacific Northwest, traveling with baby

This looks familiar

A few years ago if you had asked me what my "travel goals" were, it would be going to new cities and/or countries. I'm not one of those people who has any desire to visit all the countries in the world. (Let's be real, that would be cool, but that also would take a lot… Continue reading This looks familiar

Pacific Northwest, traveling with baby

Torrential rain won’t stop us

She stared at us from inside her presumably heated car as we walked by in rain gear and a rain cover over the baby's stroller. Saying it was pouring rain would have been an understatement. It was dumping buckets sideways. We had just parked in the lot for the Heceta Lighthouse in Florence, Oregon. It… Continue reading Torrential rain won’t stop us

japan

Osaka v. Tokyo

"How was Osaka?" "It was good. Well, I prefer Tokyo though," I replied. My mom's reaction to my response was a burst of laughter. She then followed with: I'm not surprised. Because we are Tokyo people. This conversation occurred more than two years ago. Bryce and I had just returned to my grandma's house in… Continue reading Osaka v. Tokyo

japan, staying home

Flower carrots, sleep deprivation and memories

Every New Year's Day, my mom would make osechi ryori, traditional Japanese New Year foods. Actually, I need to correct myself. She'd be cooking all day and night before New Year's Day. If we weren't home in Seattle, then we'd have an even more elaborate osechi in Japan with my baa-ba (grandma). In recent years… Continue reading Flower carrots, sleep deprivation and memories

Pacific Northwest

Getting away from people

The one thing that is not lost this summer is hiking. Living in Seattle, there are so many (relatively) nearby mountains and forests to explore. But, hiking has always been a popular outdoor activity among Seattleites (and all the transplants). Now with the pandemic, if you want to avoid other hikers, you either have to… Continue reading Getting away from people

seattle, staying home

The little things

I went on a run Friday morning. I have hardly been running these days, but that is not what I came to write about. As I shuffled my feet, I crossed paths with an older man walking with a camera that had a huge lens slung over his shoulder. He wore a utility vest and… Continue reading The little things

staying home, United States

It felt different this year

"Happy Fourth!" she cheerfully exclaimed as she and her partner descended down the mountain. I think I mumbled a quick "Same to you," but I honestly can't remember, nor did I mean it if I did. I was just being polite. It was July Fourth but I didn't think there was anything to celebrate about.… Continue reading It felt different this year

staying home

Here, still.

Remember this post? I don't know what happened because June flew by and I only wrote two blog posts the entire month. (At the beginning of Covid, I was churning out at least one post per week). What happened? I'm not sure. I felt like I didn't have anything (important) to say. I've gotten to… Continue reading Here, still.