1989: Sh-Sh-SHAKE IT OFF

Really, this is all I wanted to share today.

This.. is.. great (:

And here's the original, if you need a reference:


.. and, as always, here's my disclaimer that neither of the clips above, including music, choreography, people, hightop shoes, blingy necklaces and/or tu-tu's are mine. Nothing here is mine, except for this blog and the hilarity of these two videos.. that I did not create. Mmkay? Mmkay (: 
Thank YOU, Taylor Swift, for that one. Haha.

Sh-Sh-SHAKE IT OFF!

xo | cmd

Parent-Teacher Conference & CMA's [Video Blog]

Today = 1. Work. 2. Yoga. 3. Parent-Teacher Conference. 4. CMA's.

The 1 & 2 of the day passed as they usually do; yoga in particular gave me a solid run for my money, but after full-wheel and my feet not going numb in Pigeon, I felt accomplished and ready to shower up for Syd's Parent-Teacher conference.

In a nutshell, Sydni is exactly what I thought she would be in a classroom and more. She's apparently one of her teacher's model students when it comes to being polite, helpful, friendly and forgiving. She's also smart, and while she talks a lot during class [her only less-than-perfect remark], she seems to do so while still absorbing everything that's being taught. Aside from what we gathered to be a typical pattern for a 5-year-old, she managed to make me one heck of a proud little mama. Way to go, boogie! ♥♥♥♥♥

Post-PT conference = CMA's. There was a lot going on, as usual, so I thought I'd just revisit some of my favorite moments [among the many]. Enjoy!

The Band Perry | Covers Gentle On My Mind [Cover]:

Ariana Grande & Little Big Town - Day Drinking & Bang Bang:


Miranda & Carrie - Somethin' Bad:

[Just] Miranda & Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass:

[Just] Carrie Underwood - Something in the Water:

Jason Aldean - Burnin' It Down:

Lady A - Bartender:

... and so many others.
One of these years, despite how mainstream the CMA's are starting to become, I'm going to go. I'm certainly not fluent at high-profile events like that, but let's face it - it's the freakin' CMA's! ;) Congrats to all those big names on the awards they took home tonight. Keep on reminding us why we love our country! ♥

G'Nite, blogbots!

xo | cmd 

Vote | Hire | Eat | Be Merry!

Haaaaaaaappy Tuesday!

How'd you start your day?

vote, vote, vote! 

I did see someone post a note of caution to the uninformed voter, saying that the greatest service he/she could provide was to stay as far away from the polls as possible. I can't say I disagree; I think by now our nation should be fairly aware of what happens when ignorance shows up in hoards to cast a ballot. I did my best to exercise my due diligence today, but must admit that I had absolutely no business siding in/on certain matters, so for those I refrained. I felt a twinge of guilt that I wasn't more educated, since these issues clearly held enough weight to show up on the list, but that didn't excuse me enough to be a voice in a matter foreign to me.

For those of you who made informed votes that reflect your personal and religious beliefs today, THANK YOU!

On to work it was; today was a good day for a hiring event, which is exactly what Elisa and I scuttled out the door en route to SuperJobs.

fall hiring event 2014!

I love these things!

elisa & me..
... and of course our creepy corner-face-sign-guy... 

The job fair was a blast, as they always are, and, as tradition dictates for these things, was followed by a quick bite at Findlay Market just around the corner.

taste of belgium at findlay market. that's a win! 

I've been skeptical of the weather as we progress into the Autumn season; it's either tolerable or flat-out gloomy, which presents quite the Midwest-standard for dressing in the morning [hint: layers]. We were happy to be able to peel off our coats for this one, and enjoyed lunch on the sunny patio in front of Market. On our way out, we each grabbed a different vendor snack for back at the office, and caught a glimpse of some uplifting artwork on the way out:

♥this is otr! 

And yes, it's nearly 11pm and I'm just now finishing up the at-home work to which I committed in lieu of being gone for the majority of the morning. I had the privilege of helping Sydni with her homework earlier, and catching up with my better half on some upcoming transitions in his and my professional lives - I've got it made and I am thankful, tenfold for the day I've enjoyed.

Happy Tuesday!

xo | cmd

Timehop.

Well I don't know if this is motivating, depressing, or somewhere in between: 

7 years ago today.. my first "big girl" job! 

^ Yeah. So this is just a quick reminder of 4 things:

1. This was post-college: my first real job in the corporate sector. I took the job in radio not quite knowing what to expect, and frankly, it was the worst job I've ever had. THERE, I said it. I was inexperienced, poorly-trained and above all, in way over my head in a nightmare work environment that would ultimately drive me and several others.. out.
2. This was post-college,which also serves to point out that I said actually in college between 11 & 7 years ago. That puts my HS class now 11 years out from our '03 graduation.
3. I, at the point when this picture was taken, actually believed that this was likely the epitome of the working class, and that, based on the..... fun?... we were having at that job, that I was screwed. I probably considered joining the Peace Corps & leaving the country on several occasions, if I remember correctly.
4. My professional life was far from over. I grew out of that job [thankful for that, can't say it enough], and eventually into the career I'm building now, doing something I love and helping people, rather than shoving cookie-cutter services down the throats of people who can't afford them. Call it a win. 

I also couldn't help but notice how young I look! Granted, I do have that whole forever-young Asian thing going for me, but I guess even I don't recognize the progression of time until I look back at shots like this, which may as well be baby pictures.

A couple years later, I posted this:

feeling determined! 

This was two months, two days after Sydni was born; I couldn't tell you if I posted this in a moment of actual clarity, or out of exasperated new-mommy desperation, but either way, it's a cold-hard truth and worth re-sharing for today. It's Monday, too, so it certainly applies to the tenacity we all have to muster at the beginning of each week.

I'm still feeling a rush from yesterday's session, where the doors opened for an opportunity to undertake a missions project. I'm still praying through that, piece by piece, as openly as I can. Today was a good day, to boot, and my family just ate the dinner I didn't burn ;), without complaint.

That's another win for the books. Now it's bathtime & bedtime stories. Goodnight!

xo | cmd

Happy NOVEMBER!

I'm a day late on ushering in November, but today seemed far more fitting a day to do so than yesterday anyway. 

yes! 

I woke up today with two immediate options: 1 - Early church service and then yoga at Rhingeist, and 2 - Regular church service and no morning yoga.

It's Sunday. I wanted to sleep in a few more minutes before five full days of up-at-its before 6am, so 11am church it was. Anyway, we walked into today's message not knowing what to really expect, and walked back out with a commitment to return in the evening for an informational session.

You see, November is National Adoption Month! Here's the little blurb I posted along with that collage earlier this afternoon:

#November isn't just my #birthday month; it's #NationalAdoptionMonth! I'll bid adieu to my 20's in a few weeks, but my love of and appreciation for my own #adoption will never age. 

My biological mother's choice to surrender me reflected courage & selfless sacrifice in hope for her child to prosper beyond her resources - the type of selfless love I can only hope to exercise in my own life. Her last declare of maternal rights was that I be placed in a practicing Christian home. I was an #orphan. A couple who valued family over biology were called to choose, #adopt and love me as their own. And with that, I was placed by grace into a home half a world away.

My life would have been exponentially different if not for adoption. I am among the SMALL fraction of orphaned children who are #blessed enough with a second chance to find life and #giveback.

I'm #HONORED to #CELEBRATE #family this month. Cheers, all my fellow #adoptees & #adoptive families! Happy November!

It's something that I often take for granted, when I'm flying at lightspeed through a day in the life that I live, in this culture of ours that is all hustle & bustle, with deadlines and consequences for missing them. I don't always think to count the opportunity to participate in this life as a blessing rather than a burden, because the alternative is a rather stark contrast.

Amen? Amen.

So after a morning message about our purpose in life to reach out to people... to love and honor people.. to give of ourselves to people, we decided to come back in the evening to gather information on the church's planned mission trips for Spring 2015.

I'm happy to share more in detail about these upcoming trips when the time is right, but for now, I'm going to only ask that anyone reading along today, for whatever reason you're here reading - just... pray. The two trip options as they stand now are either Haiti or Panama. Both have clear advantages, and drawbacks as well.

PLEASE PRAY! ... 

... For the leadership team at my church, whose planning well precedes the initial meeting they held today. 

... For the other people who sat there for an hour watching past footage and testimony of those who've been to these places and touched the mission with their own hands. 

... For those who are there, in the middle of unimaginable poverty, disease, famine and spiritual desolation, reaching into untouched groups of people with the purpose of enrichment & love. 

... For the orphans, who, like myself, are/were not responsible for their circumstance. Pray that they will find the peace, attention, love and adoration they both crave and deserve. Pray that they, like I as well, will by grace become a tenfold blessing to a family that's missing what will be completed by adding even just one, beautiful little spirit to its bind. 

... For Rob & me, as we pray together over this, to determine if.. and if so, which trip to commit ourselves. It will be a spiritual, physical & financial commitment that we won't make overnight. 

One of my truly beautiful friends Marianne leaves tomorrow for a 3-month Italy endeavor: a mission-bound trip on which I have no doubt she'll grow just as much as the kids she'll be reaching. We're called to step OUT of our comfort zones. We're called to do MORE than live in the safety of our own schedules. 

We're called to lead, to love and to LET GOD do the rest. 

Happy Sunday, to you & yours!! 

xo | cmd

An OTR Saturday

A weekend morning just isn't the same without a Lumberjack-appropriate breakfast.
That being said:

nom nom nommmmmmmm

One of my biggest shortcomings is the fact that I am not a morning person. Becky, one of my greatest friends, is one of those early-risers not only embraces but celebrates the chance to hit the ground running while the moon is still watching. I'm the person who wishes that the moon would just stay.PUT. for another 15 minutes, at least... every day. That's why the weekends are the perfect mornings-at-my-leisure, and that is something I like to commemorate with elaborate breakfasts.

'Cuz let's face it: nobody is getting that^^ on a Monday morning. At least not until I graduate into that phase of life my grandmothers both seemed to accept, that included crosswords and coffee at 5am. Maybe then. ;)

With our mid-morning bellies full, Rob set out to write an estimate for work, followed by a mission to finally finish winterizing the boat. I joined forces with Becky to go explore the new Homage store that opened in OTR a few days ago.

homage cincinnati!
1232 vine st
cinci, oh 45202

It's a cute little dive - very college bookstore-esque, which is great if that's the type of shopping experience that works best for you. I did enjoy the inventory, but must admit that I'm much more of a Mica 12/v kinda girl when it comes to buying local. That's not to say that I won't be back, because I have a feeling I most definitely will be.

It'd been several hours since my Lumberjack breakfast experience; Becky hadn't eaten either, so we popped in for a quick lunch at Taste of Belgium. 

at the bar.. yum! 

^ You can't really go wrong with mid-day TOB. 

To round out our little OTR excursion, we topped off the afternoon by making an appearance at Park + Vine. Mark my words, for as many times as I go there and don't buy anything, you all just wait for the day I make it big. I'll be there nonstop... and I WILL buy one of everything off the homemade soap wall. And probably a[nother] Eno hammock. And a[nother] Be Ohio Proud shirt. 

because... yes. 

And that's how you maximize just three short hours in OTR; of course there was plenty that we didn't get to, but we've both seen many of the other digs already, and there's no reason not to re-visit at a later date, either. I'll happily say that this is one of the few aspects of city living that I love: local shopping! 

We headed back to the house, somehow finding ourselves in a discussion on The Hunger Games trilogy all the way home [yes, we watched the whole first movie as soon as we got there]. We pulled up to the answer of why our larger carved pumpkins looked like big empty bowls instead of the creative masterpieces they once were: 

ah.. ha! caughtcha. 

Oh well. Kids gotta carve, squirrels gotta eat. That pumpkin came straight from the earth, so I'm really not mad that this little guy snagged a snack. At least now I know I'm not crazy, and that the pumpkins are not actually self-dissolving. :)

It's only mid-evening now; Becky's gone off to a family costume party, and Rob and I are here looking forward to a night of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING planned.

Did I mention I love weekends? ♥

xo | cmd

H-A-Double L-O....

I FOUND IT!!!


I am an alumni of my hometown's elementary school system, and at our school, we learned [or reviewed] this song literally every. single. year. I know I'm not the only one who remembers this number. This was part of my childhood playlist for the Halloween season, and it clearly made enough of an impression that I remembered the bulk of the chorus as I near the end of my twenties.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to all you blogbots out there!!
[backdated stuff staaaaaaaaaarts...... now ;)]

Tonight was definitely a production; it started when I got home and took the plunge into Halloween makeup mode. In 30 minutes, I'd transformed myself from recognizable me to a masked super-villain.

Rob arrived home, changed into his getup, and out the door we were to Jessica's, where I had the task ahead of painting the rest of my entourage into their villainous characters. Jessica's friend Sarah was having a birthday party, and had chosen the villain.

We arrived at Molly Malone's in Covington to find the Sanderson Sisters [probably my favorite costumed trio of the night]:

perfect!!!!

[Oh, how I LOVE watching Hocus Pocus over... & over again during the Halloween season!!]

My entourage didn't look too shabby, either!

the boys: penguin & jigsaw

the girls: harley quinn & poison ivy

all 4 (:

couples ... villainous couples! 

It has been a long time since I went full-out on a Halloween costume for any sort of party, let alone with a group of people [unless the Run Like Hell 5k counts... which for this example, I'm gonna just say it doesn't... it doesn't ;) .. ]. Needless to say, despite the small fortune invested into each of our getups, Rob and I had a blast and the wish I made back in August of dolling up for a Halloween party somewhere came true. I'm not the girl that gets flushed when I see a few other renditions of the character I chose to be; I think it's kind of fun to see what other people thought to do for it, too. [That doesn't mean I don't think ours still totally rocked! ;)]

batman's detention squad

^ At one point or another, I counted nearly all of the villainous Batman cast in the same room at the same time; I was bummed that we weren't able to hunt down the Joker & Harvey Dent we'd seen roving the place for that shot, but 5 outta 7 isn't too bad! We even found another familiar villain:

chad! [the burglar from home alone.. yenno,
marco belinelli... post-iron-in-the-face?]

Not a bad way to have a little fun with friends.

I hope you've all been SAFE and ENJOYABLE Halloween! Here's to the start of winding down 2014. Live, love, laugh and get dressed up with your friends. (:

See you again once I've got my real face back!

xo | cmd