Hello from Korea!!!
One month down and a couple more to go! This month FLEW by and I have a tiny bit of sadness and anxiety that I’m already a 1/3 of the way through my time here. Don’t get me wrong…I’m homesick on the daily. I miss my family and my dogs and my friends and not having to do timezone/currency/metric system math on the regular. But, I’ve felt so relaxed, so at peace, so…dare I say, happy…here.
*my daily facetime w/ my dogs…and my mom*
I wasn’t born in Korea. I’ve never actually lived here. And not more than 3 years ago, I had no curiosity or desire about its existence, to be honest. But since the first time that I came back as an adult in 2021 till now, my 5th return trip, Korea has definitely come to feel a bit like home to me. There are familiar places, memories made big and small, and friends here. And there’s so much more to explore and soak in. I learn something new about myself each time I come.
*so close to full bloom cherry blossom season! But first, we gotta let the mangolias have their moment!*
One of the things this trip has shown me is that I feel safe here…and that’s something I’ve never felt I needed to recognize or acknowledge before. Because these days, back in the States, I’ve been feeling increasingly…unsafe. Physically, yes. Emotionally, maybe even more so. The world (*waves hands in the air*) has changed. People (*waves hands in the air*) have changed. Unrest, sickness, racism, frustration, despair…feel like the default. And maybe I found myself being pulled under a bit.
I didn’t realize how hard it has been lately for me to just…breathe…until I got here, unpacked, unwound…and did just that. What a feeling of relief. And whattaya know, it’s unleashed in me a creativity that has been buried under unrest, reignited motivation whose flame had felt nearly extinguished, and reminded me about all the stories I want to write, to tell, to share. SO MANY STORIES!
And I’m feeling really, really good about it all. :)
Speaking of motivation, man, there is honestly nothing more motivating for me to write than reading EPICALLY good books. I know for some authors, reading can sometimes actual discourage them…the comparison game and all. But when I read books by authors who NAIL it, I’m shown how far I need to go…how much I need to grow…and it’s the kick in the ass I need to…TRY. To put words to page and IMPROVE.
This month I read so many books that I can CONFIDENTLY SAY will be on my favorites list even at the end of the year…and maybe forever. So many incredible books, I felt GIDDY with all the HEA’s I was served.
It’s hard to highlight just one, but maybe I’ll quickly note that Kate Clayborn is a TREASURE. I feel so BLESSED every time I finish one of her books. I drink in her words. You can tell she writes with such thoughtfulness and care…and the result is always perfection, these stories she’s crafted with the words and structures she’s chosen. Masterful. For someone (me!) who writes solely by vibes, reading Kate’s books makes me want to be a bit more…deliberate…in how I write. Anywho, THE OTHER SIDE OF DISAPPEARING still has me ruminating, feeling, considering, dreaming…weeks after I’ve finished it. So freaking good.
If you’re not watching “Queen of Tears”, get on it! Look, I admit, I watch a lot of K-dramas and maybe my bar isn’t that high. I’m wired to enjoy them, period. :) But, QoT is next level. Put two of the BEST-IN-THE-BIZ actors together and let their chemistry do it all. But wait…throw in the writer/creator of your favorite shows of all time and see how the story plays itself out. And then…watch as the romance plot, the revenge plot, the corporate takeover plot, and…the murder plot?…weave themselves together and have you at the edge of your seat each week. It’s a doozy. FULLY enjoying it.
And lastly…I bought a new necklace that I’m obsessed with! Which made me think about sharing some of my favorite things from the month of March:
*Skincare: I’m loving TirTir’s Milk Skin Toner. Similar’ish to Laniege’s Cream Skin, but less expensive and does a better job, in my opinion. SUPER hydrating!
*Makeup: I am LOVING the CLIO Kill Cover Mesh Glow cushion foundation. I’ve had some comments lately about how my skin is looking really good, and let me tell you, it is 100% because of the smoke and mirrors of this product. Medium coverage, perfect your-skin-but-better feel, and the GLOW! OMG.
*Sneakers: I am on the HUNT for the Nike Vomero 5’s in white. I think this shoe is SO chic and the perfect if-I-can-have-only-one-pair shoe. Dress up or down…and feels like walking on air!
And…I think that’s it from me! OH WAIT…one last last thing…
I’m flying home to San Diego for a quick trip to enjoy the SAN DIEGO BOOK CRAWL! It’s an annual event where readers can go and visit all the local indies and celebrate BOOKS and our amazing city and get your “passport” stamped and win prizes! It’s the BEST! This year, I’ve been selected as the Author Ambassador (wahooo!!!) so I hope to see you at each of the crawl stops!
Here’s a link to the FAQ’s for more info!
Ok friends…until next time!
안녕! ❤️