Lola Nita used salmon fish heads in her sinigang recipe. One of my earliest memories of Lola Nita cooking sinigang na ulo ng isda was at our old Albany Park apartment on Sawyer Street in the summer of 1988. My Kuya and I lived on the third floor of the building, while my grandparents inhabited the second, and my … Continue reading An Excerpt from Sinigang
I do this a lot--go into some state of hibernation with writing and what that really means is getting swept up in the chaos of life and too distracted to reflect on my feelings long enough to feel consistently grounded. Perhaps it's avoidance. One of the numerous coping mechanisms that no longer serve me. Something … Continue reading The Sun is Awake
This morning I woke up slowly to the sounds of airplanes flying overhead, cars driving passed our home, and the air conditioning blowing cool air throughout the room. I can't remember the last time I got this much rest and could feel every fiber in my being thanking me for taking this time to recover. … Continue reading Running Free
Yesterday my uncle stopped by to plant some yew shrubs in the front yard. He's an avid gardener and was happy to gift us these shrubs and plant them in our ever so slowly developing garden. When I got home from a long work commute and day, I was drained and moving slowly. He was … Continue reading The Master Gardener
It's been challenging the last several months to get out of bed before the sun rises (not to mention the little toddler who frequently crawls into bed and throws a tantrum when she catches me sneaking out). Last night I set the intention to wake up at 5:30 a.m. and mentally prepared myself (and my … Continue reading Rising Early
I’ve come to rely on the sun The way a child does its mother So when the clouds move in And the sun is nowhere to be found I must trust it will return And it always does Flickering before beaming Filling all shadows with shades of yellow Orange Citrus rays skip across the sidewalk … Continue reading The Sun
I reached an afternoon lull at work today and ventured outside to get some fresh air. It was gray out; the clouds a large crumpled blanket below the faded periwinkle in the distance. I welcomed the rain to drench me or the sun to burn me, the roar of the train to rumble through my veins. I wanted … Continue reading Being in the Moment
I've been practicing mindfulness today and this idea of being free and grounded keeps circulating in my thoughts. I imagine a bird flying in a bright blue sky with an anchor around its torso, weighing it down as it struggles to soar. Then I realize I'm projecting and really what it means to be both … Continue reading On Being Free & Grounded
It's half past midnight and I keep staring out the window at the bare swaying branches glistening beneath the orange lamp post. I close my eyes and a moment with my daughter earlier in the day replays in my mind. We're walking in the rain and singing the "rain rain go away" song. Despite the … Continue reading Rain
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