Wedding Down South

Any opportunity to bring people together is one worth celebrating. After graduating from Harvard Law (with honours!!), my cousin/brother from another mother, Chris, and longtime galpal, Thuy Dan, finally tied the knot after almost 10 years together.  Though we gathered in celebration for the union of the two, the weekend also allowed for a heartwarming celebration of our families in more ways than one. 

The weekend began with a Sun Family fam breakfast reunion, which quickly turned into excited preparations for the serious suckling (debatable) piglet we were to bring over to the Dinh home.  As our families met at the lovely Vietnamese tea ceremony, we were welcomed with a home cooked feast (including that sweet pig), not to mention accompanied by the lovely flower arrangements done by Dan's sister, Thao.

As generations progress, and our families disperse all over the world, these moments serve as reminders and opportunities to bring us back to our roots--something in which we grounded.  We often (at least I would) long to be closer to the ones I love geographically, but  have found that in being away in home, the bonds I have with those I care for only deepen with time.  Perhaps this is another example of 缘分 (yuan fen), or because we find different ways to communicate when not present. Either way, I dig it.  

When we remember that we are really more alike than we are different, we are able to open our hearts and create unexpected bonds with one another. Love is a language understood by all, and smiling is the only universally understood sign across all cultures. I wish you all to have love in your lives as I so fortunately have in mine. 

Children's Day

It's natural that as we spend so much of our time collaborating on various projects at work, we grow to become friends; but when we're lucky, we also grow to become a family (some would call this 缘分 yuan3fen4 -- a mix of destiny, fate, and opportunity).  Perhaps part of growing so close also comes from being in a transient city like Beijing, where it's more common to meet someone from another city, than this one itself.  Whatever the reason(s), I am grateful everyday for my home away from home.  We learn together, we grow together, and at times say goodbyes to each other, but not today :)  In celebration of Children's Day, we did quite the opposite -- by expanding our family even further with the Lowe Proferian minions along with some bubbles, magic, a semi-scary clown, and of course CAKE!!!  

Here are some snaps from Children's Day at LPTech Beijing! Enjoy :)   

“Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”

— ― A.A. Milne aka Winnie the Pooh

Love,
Daze

A Saigon New Year

“Daisy!!!!” I heard behind me as I scanned the hundreds of people returning home to meet their loved ones for the Chinese New Year.  Thanh Thanh standing at no more than 5 feet tall has always had a way of making her presence known both intentionally and unintentionally at all the right times.  And there she was again, at the perfect time jumping up and down one of the plastic chairs at the meeting point after someone had told her to get down.  “Where’s Josh?” I asked? “Oh, I told him to go look for you at Burger King because we were late—thought it was some place you’d probably be.” LOLOL…It had only been a couple months since I’d seen one of my best friends at home, but the feeling of elation still washed over me, almost enough to wash away the sweat from the pleasant Vietnamese humidity.  (I was dressed in 4 layers after coming from Beijing, one which included a down vest).

This began one of the best weeks of my life.  This was my third Chinese New Years spent away from home, and though full of nausea, food poisoning, 104+fevers, it was hands down the best holiday I have ever had in my life.  They say third time's a charm, and I think it's true in many ways.  The first two times don't necessarily have to be failed times, but the third often holds something special you missed the first two times.

Life is about the connections we make with one another.  Sometimes it's someone you'll meet once, and perhaps never again, or it could be someone who's with you the whole way, or anyone in between.  We're all now in our mid 20's, playing this game called life as best as we can, and that means finding the time and balance to stay happy in all aspects.  This last week was spent nurturing the relationship/friendships portion with those I have loved so dearly for the last years of my life.  In particular, times like this where we had the joy of taking turns being sick (instead of all at once), we are all able to experience a bit of this kind of love. 

Thanh Thanh came to spend my first new years in Taipei with my family and myself when I first left home, and this year she and her family graciously invited us to spend this year with theirs.  We spent the night chugging Tigers and gambling hundreds of thousands of dong amounting to $2.50USD.  All things that we were able to experience because of the warmth her family had shown us and allowed us to share with them.  Language can be quite the barrier in many ways, but I like to think that the love we have for one another surpasses that.  Smiling is the only universal symbol across all cultures after all.      

Here are some shots from Thanh Thanh and Tia's hometown in Vietnam, and our journey through Southern Vietnam through Saigon and Mui Ne (photos in next post).  

Cotton!

Love,
Daze

“When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen.”

— ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

My Favorite Artist of All Time

We had an art studio built off the side of our house shortly after I was born. I remember peering through the windows of the french doors and watching my mom paint until the wee hours of the night.  The evenings were her time to paint, to completely immerse herself in her art, and time for me to bond with my dad whether it be over books, or building flash lights from household items. During the day, my mom and I would play in her studio, sketching (attempting for me) self-portraits, and building bank teller stands out of cardboard. My mother was not only a mother, but my full-time best friend. I didn't realize it then, and I have time to thank for showing me this. 

As we all became preoccupied with other things in life, the art room became more of a storage room than a creative space.  As we grew up, we went into the art room less and less.  We excused ourselves with reasons being that the room was "too cold," and only went in there when we needed to get something such a ruler for less than creative projects.  Eventually, we stopped going in there altogether.  When places that once fostered such fond memories slowly turns into a cold place, it often seems easier to just avoid the memories altogether. We fall into routines, and say we're too busy, but how can we be too busy for the things we love most?  As my mother says, "What's the point of life if we don't spend it doing what we love?" 

One of the greatest surprises upon my trip home was finding that my mom and Pete had revived the beloved art room :) with an added "gallery" effect.  Seeing her immersed in her art again makes my heart so happy, not to mention serving as her faithful apprentice in helping to gesso her canvases ˜_˜

Going through the motions of life, it's easy to lose touch with what you really love and want. It takes courage to do what makes you happy, and my mother's paintings serve as a daily reminder for me to embrace and fight for that joy. Here are some shots from the beloved art room. Hope this serves as that bit of inspiration to you as it has for me :) Stay true.

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

— George Eliot

Love,
Daze

2015 | Our Year

They say that your 20’s are the point where you develop and change most significantly, which I’ve experienced to be quite true (so far).  And through the changes, we align ourselves with the underlying theme to be better individuals, and often times that means being better to ourselves.  We’re lucky to have both those who grow with us through this time and for those with whom we may share with a brief moment. 

Moving to Beijing has been a life changing event within the first quarter century of my life. I've learned more than I had anticipated, but that seems to be the way things go when we're lucky. :)  I've gone through a large part of my life convincing myself that life is what fate allows, and then another part believing that life is nothing but a result of conscious choices.  My resolution this year is to work towards finding balance between these two aspects because life is a mixture of the two—to continue to grow and learn about myself even if I don’t like everything that I find out.     

My roomies from uni happened to ALL be in town this year, so we were able to get together and inflate over 500 balloons for the night!  Thank you Michael & co for letting us gather at your humble abode, and for everyone who was able to come together for the start of 2015.   I couldn’t have envisioned a better way to start the New Year with those I love so dearly at home.  Though I’m 5000 miles away, the distance has made my heart grow inevitably fonder each day.  I am so thankful for the times we have shared and for the feelings I am consumed with at the thought of these happy times :)       

May 2015 be a year without fear, and a year where we do what we love the best we know how to.  

Party Prep!!

Ok a normal one

Party Time!!!

Start the year right with bacon

Happy 2015 everyone!    

Love,
Daze

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together... there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart... I’ll always be with you.”

— A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh