Reflections

I started this blog back in 2024 primarily to share my creative writing. Later on, I decided to “preach” and write about Christianity.

Wanting to cure my brain from all the brain rot I’ve accumulated from scrolling social media, I embarked on a journey to rediscover the bibliophile in me, that was always there. I loved reading when I was a kid, borrowing towers of books from the library every month. Reading keeps me sane, calm, and focused, something I’ve forgotten through the drudgery of adult life, but something I’m returning to in the quiet stillness of Lent.Here are 5 books I read in March — covering geniuses, innovators, biology, sin, and humanity.

I turned 33 recently, and I feel I’ve grown so much since my 20’s. From obsessing over grades and internships and jobs, fantasizing over crushes, crying over relationships that didn’t work out, figuring myself out to learning to love myself has been a long journey in and of itself. And one of the most important things that I’ve gained throughout those years was a love for God, which has helped me love myself. Here are some life lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Back when my chemical romance and weezer and green day were on everyone’s radar, I thought I was the coolest kid in town strumming my electric guitar that I bought off of ebay. I strapped it across my chest and carried it in locker hallways while everyone else were carrying lacrosse sticks and tennis rackets. My home for the term was the deserted auditorium where I played guitar in after school. I was in a band, and back then, it wasn’t popular for girls to be part of boy bands unless they were, you know, on the other side of rockstar, which was groupie.

Written during a winter that stretched too long. For anyone in a season that won't seem to turn.

I got my first pair of ballet shoes when I was five years old. I started taking ballet classes in the UK because “all the other girls were taking it” and I liked all things pretty. I was the only paradox in my ballet class, sporting a bowl shaped haircut and a pink tutu with leotards as the other girls had their hair in buns.

I’m a pen geek. I inherited this hobby of collecting pens and all things stationery from my mom. She’s a major fan of fountain pens, which I don’t actually find super appealing due to the necessity of ink. Too many ink blots, too little time, and too much hassle to deal with fountain pens. They look good on a wooden oak desk next to a paper weight, but unless I was a CEO, I don’t see the need for them.

“Hearts aren’t meant to be drawn. They’re meant to be fixed.” My mother would scold me in Mandarin when I was six years old, as I drew hearts all over the medical textbook she gave me, as an act of rebellion. To make up for it, I drew an extremely detailed picture of the heart, including atria, ventricles, and valves. I included the aorta and vena cava for fun. And all of the veins. And the arteries. And some capillaries, just to put a cherry on top.

A continuation of the 75 Favorite Things Game, here is the Thirty Foodie Question Game!1. Favorite eggs - poached eggs2. Favorite breakfast - eggs Benedict3. Favorite lunch - tuna avocado bagel4. Favorite cooking trick - warming bagels in a rice cooker to make it puffy and warm and soft5. Favorite home cooked food - braised beef6. Favorite fries — kimchi fries7. Favorite dinner - chicken parmesan

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews. Sometimes when people ask me what my favorite things are, I draw a blank and I reply, "I don't know, I don't think about it that much." But a big part of getting to know yourself is knowing what your likes are, dislikes, and propensities are.