I didn’t see them sink beneath the waves
those little beads I held so close
from a temple a world away
I visited once, but my prayers transcended
time and miles of hope and sea
Tears mixed with waves, salt on salt,
and in the loss I found
What was gone slipped through my fingers
long before that desperate searching
taught me how to yearn.
Cranes have always carried cultural significance for the Japanese, and over the past six months, they’ve come to represent something special for my family as well. Revered in Japan as symbols of longevity and luck, cranes are thought to be “well-behaved like gentlemen, incorruptible and naturally clean and honest.” This could not more aptly describe my father’s personality. Continue reading
I took this photo at the 2014 wedding of my dear friends (and adoptive aunts), Suzanne and Marcia. It was an occasion that gave me a sense of belonging in a place that was, at the time, new and foreign to me. This quote encapsulated my dizzying hunger for experience and beauty that would eclipse anything I’d been able to find before. Continue reading
Last night, President Obama closed his farewell address with a few borrowed lines from a campaign speech he made in 2008. I know this because I have listened to this speech many times since then, in moments of doubt, happiness and when I wanted to hear a familiar, trusted voice. It’s important to remember that this speech– one that solidified the campaign message that ultimately won him the presidency– was made during a moment of unexpected loss. Continue reading
“There’s been another mass shooting in America,” says President Obama.
The despair in his voice is steeped in weariness.
“We have become numb to this.” Continue reading
Miserable face, messy desk, sub-par under-eye concealer.
I realize I’ve been delinquent in my duties here. Like, really bad. Maybe worse than ever before. So it’s probably not the best time to congratulate myself on the fact that this blog came into existence almost exactly two years ago! Despite the fact that I’ve done a less-than-stellar job in recent months, my malformed brainchild maintains a pulse. Continue reading
The past few months have flown by in a whirlwind of shifting landscapes, which I guess is a fitting culmination to a year comprised of new experiences. Last May I was settling into something unfamiliar, surprising myself with the ease I felt in leaving things behind and going it alone. I waited for the moment when that realization would hit me, when I would truly feel it, like jumping into the deep end and letting the water envelop me in cold. It didn’t happen that way, though. Continue reading
I’m really excited about this one, guys. Lauren is my longtime friend and stylist, and I’ve never met anyone more knowledgeable about hair. At just 25, she is the co-owner of a popular DC area salon, Elements McLean. She is certified in a myriad of cutting and coloring techniques and her styles have been featured in international hair magazines seen in over 30 countries. Despite the fact that she and her husband welcomed a new baby just a few weeks ago, she generously agreed to write a guest blog for me. (Because good hair can’t wait.) Continue reading
It’s been forever, I know. I’m sorry. Things have been really busy around here. What with the holidays and work and a weird compulsion I suddenly developed to slog through all six seasons of Gossip Girl in five weeks, I could hardly find the time to do anything productive. You know you love me, xoxo. Continue reading
Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty.
There’s been a bit of talk recently about the blasting of the Obama daughters, Malia and Sasha, for their attitudes and attire at the nationally sacred turkey pardoning ceremony this Thanksgiving. (Personally, I had been waiting with bated breath since last year’s ceremony to see how 2014’s turkey would respond to the grand gesture of a presidential pardoning. Like Sasha and Malia, I was nonplused by the animal’s reaction.) Continue reading
KATE NISHIMURA 