Things from 2018 For Me and For You
(The ones for 2016 and 2017 were deleted when I accidentally deleted my old website, you can find them on IG.)
1. Latte art is HARD.
Shoutout to Samandar and Reggie for training me to be the most basic barista Foreign National has probably ever seen. My latte art hearts become butts and leaves morph into stick and ball things. Appreciate your baristas, friends, love your baristas.
2. Work hard towards the moon and stars might fall in your lap along the way.
My original goal in coming to DC was to gain experience working in grasstops advocacy and maybe go to some kind of post grad school to make sociopolitical impact. But I also kept true to my passions and sought out local food events, POC businesses, design-centric gatherings to support and be part of. This has led to some pretty incredible opportunities and priceless friendships. I might consider a different moon/trajectory…
3. Advocacy can happen through small business, and should.
Every employer should be building in paid time for their employees to go vote. It’s not that hard. Make shifts, take turns - whatever it takes to do your civic duty. Also, small businesses are the most accessible hub for activation and advocacy. They are at the forefront of what it means to be community (or not to be one) because of the patrons, employees, employers, and their neighbors and the dynamic that develops from this. It’s as simple as a curated book selection on your shelves or as “complicated” as the kinds of people you allow through your doors. I think I’ve kind of known this all along from my fifteen years in a nail salon but it’s been thanks to Seda, Simone, Desiree, Erik, Kat Lo, and many others in the DC area that have taught me this every day the past year.
4. Forgive, don’t forget, and it’s okay to still support them.
Cue crowd ooh. This isn’t Twitter, I’m not going to @ anyone. Call me a hopeless romantic or idealist but I think one can have infinite love so you can love any number of people who come in and out of your life. I also think that mistakes, big or small, can eventually be forgiven (if not for their sake, for your own sanity) and despite it all, it’s okay if you still love them. It’ll just simply take time, months or years, to either leave it completely behind and burn bridges or come to terms with it and maintain a relationship. And either choice is okay.
5. Budgeting is important.
Especially if you want to buy that Celine bag on a nonprofit salary, luhmao!!!! How have I done it?* Pay off all two credit cards at the end of every month, pay rent, add something to savings even if it’s $20 or $500, track how often you’re buying coffee ($5/day every day adds up!) and COOK YOUR OWN FOOD. (That was in all caps for me, sorry, I need to remind myself to stop eating out so much.) (*granted, I’ve been very fortunate to not have student debt.)
6. Text dad.
Or whichever family member it is you’re not close to but wish to be. I’ve tried calling him on the phone before, trust me. It has always lasted less than one minute and usually is for Lunar New Year and his Birthday and even then we both can’t muster any longer conversation than that. But he’s been so warm to me at home and I feel a little closer now that we text each other random Youtube videos to watch accompanied by appropriate emojis.