Italy
Ko Pha Ngan - Moon Festival
Los Cabos
Paris
Phuket
Rio de Janeiro - Cristo
Places to Go, Things to Try
One day
Atlanta
Bahia
Cancun - Chitzen Itza
Cancun - Cenotes
Italy
Ko Pha Ngan - Moon Festival
Las Vegas
Los Cabos
New York - Chelsea Market
New York - Highline
Paris
Phuket
Rio de Janeiro - Sugarloaf Mountain
Rio de Janeiro - Cristo
Rosarito
Sao Paulo
South Beach Miami
Tokyo- Harajuku street
Italy
Ko Pha Ngan - Moon Festival
Los Cabos
Paris
Phuket
Rio de Janeiro - Cristo
Overview of DIY Wedding on a Budget
Although we didn't have the most ideal budget friendly wedding since our biggest expense was the wedding location. I tried to keep the expense down on everything else! It was also difficult since I only had 3 months to plan. We made a spontaneous decision to have a wedding before Flora turned 1. Having that be in May, we emailed every reception hall we liked for dates in April. Came down to 2 but decided to go ahead with Long Beach Renaissance since they gave us a ballroom even with our guest count of 100 (which later stretched to 140). Double tree Hilton offered us the garden room but the ceiling was too low and made us feel trapped and their ballroom had a guest minimum of 200. Although now that I think about it, the outdoor ceremony would've looked nice in photos. Renaissance offers their outdoor poolside ceremony only if the guest count is under 100.
Anyways... here is a brief overview of things bought, made, etc. I (tried) to keep it as low budget as possible.
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| Bixby Ballroom at The Renaissance Long Beach |
Anyways... here is a brief overview of things bought, made, etc. I (tried) to keep it as low budget as possible.
8 Months Milestones
What's sad is.. I actually looked on Amazon and went through all these milestone books at Target and didn't purchase one. The least I could've done is jot it down on a notebook. Now here I am, regretting and trying to squeeze anything I can remember out of my brain. For real though, I used to have ridiculously great long term memory and now I can't remember short or long. So I will try my best to remember. Going through photographs and other people's facebook posts.. So I won't be able to pinpoint them but I'll write of what I remember.
My offspring at 8 months.
She was now a pro at sitting up and still had baby features. The round face, 1/3 ratio of limbs, torso, head. Aww. We came back from Brazil and I felt she got smarter. Being on a plane, meeting new people, breathing new air. I can't wait for more adventures with this little one.
Flora was getting used to the walker but still not able to move forward with it. She just kept pushing her foot to move backwards. I didn't really like the flashing lights in her face but there is an option to turn the lights off. I liked that it had 2 height levels. She enjoyed putting her mouth all over those little parts (that don't come off of course!) It was useful from maybe when she was about 6 months old. I've read a lot of reviews to take the bumper off if you carpeted floors (it didn't help) we used it mailed outdoors or she would sit it it playing with toys in the tray. It holds her while we bbq outside and she can just be around us. Here's more info on the orby 2.0 here (now it's called zobo for some reason). I will update this post when I can remember more things :(
My offspring at 8 months.
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| Someone got her a hairband |
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| Her walker that grandpa got for her |
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| Still quite awkward on photographs, won't stay still. |
First time Traveling to Brazil with a Baby Pt. 2
Continued from Part 1
So once we got back from Rio, we were car-less and had 2 1/2 days left.
2nd to last day, we spent with family by going out with the cousins to this really cool restaurant called Mocoto. Gosh darn it, they had this amazing spicy oil that was gifted to us from the restaurant but I gave it to my mother-in-law since she loves spicy sauce as well.. and while we were here, I finally got see a painted telephone booth!! I was so excited! Such a tourist.
So once we got back from Rio, we were car-less and had 2 1/2 days left.
2nd to last day, we spent with family by going out with the cousins to this really cool restaurant called Mocoto. Gosh darn it, they had this amazing spicy oil that was gifted to us from the restaurant but I gave it to my mother-in-law since she loves spicy sauce as well.. and while we were here, I finally got see a painted telephone booth!! I was so excited! Such a tourist.
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| Mural |
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| I stole my cousin in law's photo because I forgot to take all the food photos. |
First time Traveling to Brazil with a Baby Pt.1
Our vacation took place around December 2015, surprisingly that's summer in Brazil!
I guess, since it's little bit hard for me to remember, I'll just write in a chronological type style entry.
-short-term memory, mommy brain and procrastination-
To start, I read a few posts like, On the go with Baby in Brazil and Traveling to Brazil with Baby
I've also looked at a bunch of sites to see what I should pack traveling with a baby.
So.... overall, we were not that worried. I will write a separate post about preparations/lists.
It's just overwhelming because I do not like riding airplanes and I have never been to Brazil.
We were really lucky for our flight to Brazil because they gave us a empty seat between us.
This is how we found out that even if American Airline tells you that bassinets are first come, first serve AND we arrive 5 hours earlier.. It all doesn't matter if someone purchases the bulkhead seats. Then the bassinets are not available. Customer service and their website needs to update.
Like, seriously? You are not going to tell us this beforehand?
The only good part is that my husband is Brazilian and we won't be targeted as tourists and we're not that flashy for an Asian. I know this sounds stereotypical, but Koreans in Los Angeles for the most part, are in fact, quite flashy. I mean, I go to our neighborhood park and I'm the only Korean mom in sweats and a stretched out t-shirt. And this scenario is more compact in Sao Paulo, the Koreans here are known to be money makers and handle large amounts of cash from Bom Retiro district. Anyways, back on point. We were not worried at all about crime. It's not just because of common sense, it's also because the probability of us being affected by crime is so low, 1. We have a baby, so that means 2. we probably won't be going to clubs or going out late at night and 3. it's just basic street smarts. You wouldn't walk around unfamiliar grounds in la, would you? like warehouse district or anywhere secluded. Lastly, the crackheads. Eh... not too different from downtown. Don't be intimidated. Major tourists spots have military police patrolling the area as well. Usually the transients mean no harm but they always "offer" services to watch your car for a small fee and kind of threaten you with a smile. They always end their sentence with "....make sure nothing happens to your car". My husband gets annoyed because it's a regular parking spot and these transients don't own the property but they are everywhere, patrolling the neighborhood for street parking visitors.
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| sugarloaf mountatin |
-short-term memory, mommy brain and procrastination-
To start, I read a few posts like, On the go with Baby in Brazil and Traveling to Brazil with Baby
I've also looked at a bunch of sites to see what I should pack traveling with a baby.
So.... overall, we were not that worried. I will write a separate post about preparations/lists.
It's just overwhelming because I do not like riding airplanes and I have never been to Brazil.
We were really lucky for our flight to Brazil because they gave us a empty seat between us.
This is how we found out that even if American Airline tells you that bassinets are first come, first serve AND we arrive 5 hours earlier.. It all doesn't matter if someone purchases the bulkhead seats. Then the bassinets are not available. Customer service and their website needs to update.
Like, seriously? You are not going to tell us this beforehand?
The only good part is that my husband is Brazilian and we won't be targeted as tourists and we're not that flashy for an Asian. I know this sounds stereotypical, but Koreans in Los Angeles for the most part, are in fact, quite flashy. I mean, I go to our neighborhood park and I'm the only Korean mom in sweats and a stretched out t-shirt. And this scenario is more compact in Sao Paulo, the Koreans here are known to be money makers and handle large amounts of cash from Bom Retiro district. Anyways, back on point. We were not worried at all about crime. It's not just because of common sense, it's also because the probability of us being affected by crime is so low, 1. We have a baby, so that means 2. we probably won't be going to clubs or going out late at night and 3. it's just basic street smarts. You wouldn't walk around unfamiliar grounds in la, would you? like warehouse district or anywhere secluded. Lastly, the crackheads. Eh... not too different from downtown. Don't be intimidated. Major tourists spots have military police patrolling the area as well. Usually the transients mean no harm but they always "offer" services to watch your car for a small fee and kind of threaten you with a smile. They always end their sentence with "....make sure nothing happens to your car". My husband gets annoyed because it's a regular parking spot and these transients don't own the property but they are everywhere, patrolling the neighborhood for street parking visitors.
Preparing our First Overseas Trip to Brazil with a Baby... WE NEED A VISA?!?!?!
Preparing for our first overseas trip.
The last month before travel, I was busy researching and reading other parent's top advice/items to travel with.. meanwhile...
We completely forgot we needed visas to go to Brazil. It didn't come across my husbands mind either because he has citizenship there. I never thought about it since I've only been to Korea my entire life and never had to get a visa to go there either. Once we looked over the visa process through the general consulate website, we found out their visa appointments were completely booked! My husband went in person to talk to them and there was no exception (unless it's a emergency like death, of course; even that, i'm not sure if it's possible for non-citizens). The guy at the desk told us we can use a agency instead, but the consulate cannot process it for us without a appointment.
Although we had to spend money.. the agency recommended to us by the consulate was very convenient for us since we are able to pick up from the same building . The agency must have some kind of agreement with the consulate since they were able to get visas processed within 2 weeks. We used MyBrazilVisa and here is a brief email insert.
Im trying to get a tourist visa for me and my daughter.and I got a response within a few days...
I am wondering if we would get our visas before december 20th, as the consulate's appointment is booked till end of december.
We are extremely busy this time of year, but we can assist you.With that being done, I was relieved we had that figured out. Now, about my daughter's age being questioned..
How old is your daughter?
One thing that you need to know about our agency is that we do NOT use the Brazil consulate’s public appointment system. We have a standing appointment at the Brazil consulate every Tuesday and Thursday, so you do NOT need any appointment at the Brazil consulate to use our service. However, you MUST prepare your and your daughter's complete visa application materials to provide to our agency, simply because we are too busy at the present time to assist in the preparation of customer visa application materials. We keep our fees low, but for that you must prepare your materials and provide them fully prepared to our agency. Once your materials are in order, you can ship the materials to our agency, or drop off the materials to our agency. We do not review materials in person with customers upon drop off. I do that by telephone in advance of the drop off, and you can reach me at (310) 666-1174, and I am next available to speak after 7:30 pm on Thursday evening, or any subsequent day (weekends are best).
Our website provides all of the info that you’ll need to prepare your visa application materials and payment to provide to our agency:
http://www.mybrazilvisa.com/visa/touristvisa.html
You have sufficient time, so you needn’t stress about the timeframe. Ideally we would like to receive your visa application materials within the next week.
Simple 100th day Celebration for Baby
It's in the Korean tradition. 100 days. 벡일
I'm pretty sure many parents out there also keep track and just snap on certain days (1 week! 100 days! 6 months!) As for myself, I was excited to record this event and celebrate. I also wanted to keep it simple. I've heard horror stories about how parents (grandparents) were asked to contribute to grand parties for 100 days... really? I mean... if you really want it that big, you should pay for it yourself. A old friend of mine was huffing and puffing because her brother was asking their mom to "donate" around 500 dollars for a dessert set to decorate the table and give out to people stating dduk "Korean rice cake" was supposed to be provided by the grandparents. Anywhoo, I just wanted a picture for memories sake so we invited only immediate family for lunch. Fyi, I'm from a divorced household so we always have to do things twice (the wedding was the only exception LOL). We spent less than 30 for the photo op table.
We have a small computer desk and we cleared it off to use it as a photo table. I already had the sheer blue curtain so I got a white table cover from the dollar store to place underneath it. I also already had 'Flora the Flamingo' book from when she was born. The shoes were a gift as well.
Things purchased.
Dollar store- 2 wooden squares, small picture frame, teal poof decoration
Grocery store- scones, cupcakes
Bought by others- ricecake, cake
For the flora banner: I cut some cardboard, glue-sticked white paper and painted her letters in gold.
Done! Simple.
I'm pretty sure many parents out there also keep track and just snap on certain days (1 week! 100 days! 6 months!) As for myself, I was excited to record this event and celebrate. I also wanted to keep it simple. I've heard horror stories about how parents (grandparents) were asked to contribute to grand parties for 100 days... really? I mean... if you really want it that big, you should pay for it yourself. A old friend of mine was huffing and puffing because her brother was asking their mom to "donate" around 500 dollars for a dessert set to decorate the table and give out to people stating dduk "Korean rice cake" was supposed to be provided by the grandparents. Anywhoo, I just wanted a picture for memories sake so we invited only immediate family for lunch. Fyi, I'm from a divorced household so we always have to do things twice (the wedding was the only exception LOL). We spent less than 30 for the photo op table.
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| Sat- scones and cupcakes |
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| The 100th day print came out too lightly |
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| Sun- Grandma brought rice cake balls and FIL brought cake |
Things purchased.
Dollar store- 2 wooden squares, small picture frame, teal poof decoration
Grocery store- scones, cupcakes
Bought by others- ricecake, cake
For the flora banner: I cut some cardboard, glue-sticked white paper and painted her letters in gold.
Done! Simple.
Baby on Board! DIY Surf Baby Shower
Surf Baby Shower
Finally posting about my baby shower planning! Being a frugal?or cost effective person that enjoys entertaining guests such as myself, I've been researching and planning this baby shower for months. I've decided to post my own experience since I collected ideas from numerous sites and blogs. Just in case someone comes across it and gets inspired. Over the course of a month, I was looking at locations for the shower and realized location is one of the most expensive expenses. After emailing surrounding hotels, banquet rooms, restaurants for quotes. It made me realize I should spend that amount of money on food and gifts instead. I didn't want to spend 2 to 3 grands on a small location with mediocre food and have to resort to handing out teabags for party favors (no offense, teabags are a great idea but I just wanted to offer more). FYI, our family is of Korean heritage meaning it is possible we have to throw a 1 year party and to us, it made sense to save money on the shower in case we have to throw a 1 year party. Hence.. we have come to the decision of using our patio as the shower event location! Which was great in my opinion because there is no location fee or food & beverage minimums!!! My husband was worried about the amount of people coming because even if we only counted close friends and family it was still well over 40. Therefore... we decided to throw the shower two days, Saturday and Sunday. We split the group based on who knows each other and who's more available on the dates.
Surf Baby Theme
Searching baby shower theme ideas, I noticed everything is pink, blue, green or animals. I wanted this to be personal and I have this weird thing about gender equality. When I searched for unique baby shower ideas (the internet is a fascinating thing), there were so many wonderful, unique, fun baby showers. I came across a surf baby shower theme and i fell in love instantly! When I first met my husband, he told me he enjoys surfing on his free time and went down to El Porto quite frequently. So we went ahead and decided for a surf themed baby shower with the colors coral and teal.
DIY Surf Baby Shower Prep and Cost
DIY Projects and Cost for the Baby Shower
The first thing I thought was surfboards!
Like I mentioned on the shower planning post, lot of the blogs said they got plywood to make the surfboards and I just didn't feel like going through all that. I bought poster boards from the craft store and cut out 2 surfboards from each poster board. Since I was going to stand them up on the food table, I just outlined the top shape. I used draft tape to make the patterns and spray paint. If I had more time, I would have painted some Hawaiian style flowers... but after cutting out the poster board with a exacto knife I got lazy.
I used spray paint from Michaels, Design master Colortool spray in Robin's Egg & Coral. I just used acrylic paint I had for the gray line. I also made little banner flags out of cardboard and hung it with twine over the surf boards.
I painted and cut out a sign to make Flora's Surf Shack with half the poster board. I just googled dolphines and looked for the easiest one to draw- not too realistic but able to tell it's a dolphin.
My friend Cassidy took home a poster board and made the Ovary chart for the game 'Pin the Sperm' . She cut out sperm from gray felt and we used double sided tape for it to stick.
Party Favors (Approximately 40 people) I really wanted something nice for the guests and loved the beach theme favors I saw. I decided to go for sunblock lip balm bags. Since the sunblock was just a mini size banana boat, I upgraded the lip balm option to Eos. For the men (only around 15) we put in a nicer trial size sunblock (banana boat cool mist) and a gag gift (condoms)... We were out of ideas.
So... I'll get to the cost break down here. I did it by store because I kept record of it by stores...
Like I mentioned on the shower planning post, lot of the blogs said they got plywood to make the surfboards and I just didn't feel like going through all that. I bought poster boards from the craft store and cut out 2 surfboards from each poster board. Since I was going to stand them up on the food table, I just outlined the top shape. I used draft tape to make the patterns and spray paint. If I had more time, I would have painted some Hawaiian style flowers... but after cutting out the poster board with a exacto knife I got lazy.
I used spray paint from Michaels, Design master Colortool spray in Robin's Egg & Coral. I just used acrylic paint I had for the gray line. I also made little banner flags out of cardboard and hung it with twine over the surf boards.
I painted and cut out a sign to make Flora's Surf Shack with half the poster board. I just googled dolphines and looked for the easiest one to draw- not too realistic but able to tell it's a dolphin.
My friend Cassidy took home a poster board and made the Ovary chart for the game 'Pin the Sperm' . She cut out sperm from gray felt and we used double sided tape for it to stick.
Party Favors (Approximately 40 people) I really wanted something nice for the guests and loved the beach theme favors I saw. I decided to go for sunblock lip balm bags. Since the sunblock was just a mini size banana boat, I upgraded the lip balm option to Eos. For the men (only around 15) we put in a nicer trial size sunblock (banana boat cool mist) and a gag gift (condoms)... We were out of ideas.
So... I'll get to the cost break down here. I did it by store because I kept record of it by stores...
30 weeks
So I am just posting for my own personal record.
I'm not really into updating this anymore since this past year has been very hectic for me.
I'm also pretty sure I'll be occupied with the new baby that I won't see this blog for another year or so.
I'm not really into updating this anymore since this past year has been very hectic for me.
I'm also pretty sure I'll be occupied with the new baby that I won't see this blog for another year or so.
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| 30 weeks at March 6th |
Weight Gain:
24 LBS
Belly Bump: It constantly feels like my belly is stretching downward. I feel heavy now. It's hard to find a comfortable position in bed and turning to my other side is getting difficult. I let out an occasional groan or grunt and my husband pushes me up or helps me turn over. Flora is very active, I think I will miss her movements when she is out. Lately, the movements are throughout the day and evenings (before, they were only before bedtime). What's funny is, sometimes I forget I have a belly bump and accidentally open the fridge door and my belly blocks it from opening.
Feelings Physically: Exhaustion but no desire for frequent naps, although it's probably needed. I think I'll start after I leave work. I cannot fall asleep early, I feel like I need to get something done while I can but I end up laying on the couch. I think I try to stay awake because the time spent with Francisco feels so short after work. If I sit still in the chair, my back starts to ache so I walk around the office every hour or so. One thing I have to write down because I keep forgetting to ask my doctor, I feel a icy sensation in my tummy. As if there is a ice cube rolling down my belly. I can't find anything online, it's not painful but it feels weird.
Feelings Emotionally: Happy, too happy that it gives me anxiety time to time. Thoughts of this pleasant time going away gets me very emotional and sad. I know Francisco tries hard to keep me in a good mood but my mood swings just happen without reason. I think I'm thinking too much that I have to do well on my own. I don't know why I feel like I shouldn't burden my friends and family. I have endless checklists, research articles and I still feel I'm not prepared for the baby.
Thoughts about the Baby: I am excited and worried. I am a worrywart. I need to stop watching the news. It needs to be consumed that bad things can happen regardless of my influence or not. I just have to hope for the very best. My brains gets a tornado of worrying about everything from bullying to accidentally getting something toxic in her mouth. I'm already brainstorming in my head how I'm going to teach her not to follow strangers or make right choices in life. It's inevitable, things are going to happen and I cannot put her in a bubble. I just have to hope she turns out right eventually. I mean, I was reckless but I feel like I turned out pretty well.. I think.
I hope in the end, she will be a good-hearted, unselfish person.
What I am Craving: Sweets and comfort foods. Occasionally spicy, which I try to avoid due to heartburn but I crave so much. I need to cut out sugar as much as possible. I've eating more sweets than when I wasn't pregnant. Comfort food to me is traditional Korean food like jjigae or mashed potatoes. Oh, I have been eating a lot of red meat lately (it's a lot to me since I rarely ate red meat the past 5 years)
Dreams: Lot of violent dreams. Maybe I'm relieving stress through dreams?? I hope it's not bad for the baby...
life patterns.
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| Cassoday Harder |
We might just be adjusting and pretending we changed - in order to better ourselves only.
I've noticed patterns occur in human behavior. I was a strong believer of Freud and how everything comes down to your sexuality. We are unique for having humanistic qualities such as our need to fulfill and carry out our wants.
Just came across my mind because my habitual behavior is being attached. It can be things and people.
Even songs I enjoy - I keep on my playlist, sometimes listen on repeat. Never erasing.
Nothing special.
Being attached and being possessive can be similar or different, based on how others view it.
I think how I feel will differentiate the two.
I should research more on this topic and get back to this post.
It may be more psychological.
The desires of being wanted, self esteem issues, not being able to handle that people come and go.
I hold on to dear life for someone to just stay.
I was a happy kid though - at least in the home videos.
Laziness.
Overcoming procrastination.
According to psychologist Professor Clarry Lay, a prominent writer on procrastination, procrastination occurs when there’s “a temporal gap between intended behavior and enacted behavior.” That is, procrastination is occurring when there’s a significant time period between when people intend to do a job, and when they actually do it.
Here are some useful indicators that will help you know when you’re procrastinating:
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| Photo via Matthew Tamaro |
What is Procrastination?
In a nutshell, you procrastinate when you put off things that you should be focusing on right now, usually in favor of doing something that is more enjoyable or that you’re more comfortable doing.According to psychologist Professor Clarry Lay, a prominent writer on procrastination, procrastination occurs when there’s “a temporal gap between intended behavior and enacted behavior.” That is, procrastination is occurring when there’s a significant time period between when people intend to do a job, and when they actually do it.
How to Overcome Procrastination
Follow these steps to deal with and control procrastination:Step 1: Recognize That You're Procrastinating
If you're honest with yourself, you probably know when you're procrastinating. But to be sure, take our Are You a Procrastinator? self test.Here are some useful indicators that will help you know when you’re procrastinating:
- Filling your day with low priority tasks from your To Do List.
- Reading e-mails several times without starting work on them or deciding what you’re going to do with them.
- Sitting down to start a high-priority task, and almost immediately going off to make a cup of coffee.
- Leaving an item on your To Do list for a long time, even though you know it's important.
- Regularly saying "Yes" to unimportant tasks that others ask you to do, and filling your time with these instead of getting on with the important tasks already on your list.
- Waiting for the “right mood” or the “right time” to tackle the important task at hand.
Read the rest of the article here.
Thoughts. Buttons.
So I've been so busy with living, in general.I am just burned out. I know I have it better than most of the global population. Tired.
I see buttons everywhere, all shapes and sizes. They are trims I am developing for many of my customers.While zoning out, I opened my old blog and started writing. (Since no one sees this anyways....)It hit me. Thoughts. Although this industry has taught me a lot, it brings out thoughts.I can never buy at my favourite retail stores without second guessing the cost and quality. If I stand there and carry my mind in to deeper thoughts, I start thinking about who would've made this. Thank goodness I hate shopping whereas I'll move along quickly so I don't fall into deep thoughts..I only follow trends with my mind and my friends are always wondering why I don't dress up anymore.
I've said many times before, anything ending with -logy is depressing. What I've learned in Environmental Biology, Anthropology, even Sociology; has hit me as soon as I started working in this field. Being involved opens your eyes to all angles of the garment producing industry (it can just be me) I prefer buying local products for groceries and always rant about consumption; yet the hypocrisy of all this is - I myself can't live without depending on imports and non-green products. Wanting to be environmentally friendly and signing petitions for the end of unfair labor laws worldwide is just as how far my powers are (internet and sometimes some effort in actually going to these places).
Ironically, I am indirectly engaging in a similar situation or I am willingly interacting with the circumstances of my work.I am proud to announce that my overseas office does not treat genders differently or have unfair compensation. (Vietnam is still a county that has most men believing they are more important than women) What I do not know is - what happens in the factories we use. I know for certain the factories do not have child workers but I have no information on overtime or working conditions. I assure you it is not as bad as the horror stories I've heard of (one of the reasons why I pause when I look at clothing made in Bangladesh) Yes, yes.. I shouldn't base my opinion on just one case. Hence, new slang in Korea 'Ke-Ba-Ke' a.k.a. case by case.
My point was, sometimes I feel like I am helping and being a part corporations taking advantage of underdeveloped countries. If I look at this in a optimistic way as my friends suggest, it is work for me and overseas. I just hope everyone is happy.I also believe this is another cycle, it won't end. Humans have always surpassed the resource/supply value. Population is soaring and more than half the world is hungry. This reflects on my job also.
Resources are a survival for my business, we survive by having the best material cheapest as possible. Sooner or later, this industry is going to start making factories in new countries. China's wages and resource prices have been rising so a lot of factories are emerging in Vietnam. Ten years down the road, this industry will want to start elsewhere because of the same occurrence. Mexico? Cambodia? You have to calculate freight/culture/policy/safety.
I see buttons everywhere, all shapes and sizes. They are trims I am developing for many of my customers.While zoning out, I opened my old blog and started writing. (Since no one sees this anyways....)It hit me. Thoughts. Although this industry has taught me a lot, it brings out thoughts.I can never buy at my favourite retail stores without second guessing the cost and quality. If I stand there and carry my mind in to deeper thoughts, I start thinking about who would've made this. Thank goodness I hate shopping whereas I'll move along quickly so I don't fall into deep thoughts..I only follow trends with my mind and my friends are always wondering why I don't dress up anymore.
I've said many times before, anything ending with -logy is depressing. What I've learned in Environmental Biology, Anthropology, even Sociology; has hit me as soon as I started working in this field. Being involved opens your eyes to all angles of the garment producing industry (it can just be me) I prefer buying local products for groceries and always rant about consumption; yet the hypocrisy of all this is - I myself can't live without depending on imports and non-green products. Wanting to be environmentally friendly and signing petitions for the end of unfair labor laws worldwide is just as how far my powers are (internet and sometimes some effort in actually going to these places).
Ironically, I am indirectly engaging in a similar situation or I am willingly interacting with the circumstances of my work.I am proud to announce that my overseas office does not treat genders differently or have unfair compensation. (Vietnam is still a county that has most men believing they are more important than women) What I do not know is - what happens in the factories we use. I know for certain the factories do not have child workers but I have no information on overtime or working conditions. I assure you it is not as bad as the horror stories I've heard of (one of the reasons why I pause when I look at clothing made in Bangladesh) Yes, yes.. I shouldn't base my opinion on just one case. Hence, new slang in Korea 'Ke-Ba-Ke' a.k.a. case by case.
My point was, sometimes I feel like I am helping and being a part corporations taking advantage of underdeveloped countries. If I look at this in a optimistic way as my friends suggest, it is work for me and overseas. I just hope everyone is happy.I also believe this is another cycle, it won't end. Humans have always surpassed the resource/supply value. Population is soaring and more than half the world is hungry. This reflects on my job also.
Resources are a survival for my business, we survive by having the best material cheapest as possible. Sooner or later, this industry is going to start making factories in new countries. China's wages and resource prices have been rising so a lot of factories are emerging in Vietnam. Ten years down the road, this industry will want to start elsewhere because of the same occurrence. Mexico? Cambodia? You have to calculate freight/culture/policy/safety.
Can severe happiness bring you misery?
Just thinking about what I have and to think about it disappearing.
june.. oh june. how was may?
June! Mid-year! June reminds me of my dad.
As a child, in school, we always prepared father's day's cards every year. Every message, i would add 'happy birthday' to his card. He used to say... " i want two separate cards!!!" With a grin then a smile. Wow. If i think about it now, that was a lot of construction paper, glue, dry pasta, glitter (accumulated over the years). And i don't think my dad has any them anymore, probably got lost or thrown away after a year.
Growing up in the states, every father's day (and any other event including parents) our teacher would always mentions, remind the class. You don't have to dedicate a card to your father for fathers day. It can be your uncle, grandfather, stepfather, anyone who is a father figure. We live in a society with families that are more extended, or complex. Maybe it can be confusing or unstable. I just want to be happy. I don't need a nuclear family. The near-future, I see school curriculum's that are multi-cultural and liberal.
May. More thoughts. more thoughts on how serious I can be and how immature I am at the same time =D
I enjoyed Chicago, wish I had more time.
I just want to live.
As a child, in school, we always prepared father's day's cards every year. Every message, i would add 'happy birthday' to his card. He used to say... " i want two separate cards!!!" With a grin then a smile. Wow. If i think about it now, that was a lot of construction paper, glue, dry pasta, glitter (accumulated over the years). And i don't think my dad has any them anymore, probably got lost or thrown away after a year.
Growing up in the states, every father's day (and any other event including parents) our teacher would always mentions, remind the class. You don't have to dedicate a card to your father for fathers day. It can be your uncle, grandfather, stepfather, anyone who is a father figure. We live in a society with families that are more extended, or complex. Maybe it can be confusing or unstable. I just want to be happy. I don't need a nuclear family. The near-future, I see school curriculum's that are multi-cultural and liberal.
May. More thoughts. more thoughts on how serious I can be and how immature I am at the same time =D
I enjoyed Chicago, wish I had more time.
I just want to live.
i realized im not 17 anymore.
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