My AWESOME college sistah MILLY

Happy Birthday Milly!!!! I want everyone to know how AWESOME Milly is to me. We met at UCSD and became inseparable in college. I don't think I would have survived college without her. We always joke around that I use to stalk her in class. She would sit at different places in the large lecture halls and I would always find her at the end of the class. We instantly became Besties. We spend all night talking to each other. We went everywhere together. She was so generous with me. I became part of her family. Her family would throw parties and I was always invited. I felt so loved by her and her family. She made me feel important and very very special.

Even though I don't see her often bc I don't live in San Diego anymore....we have this solid friendship that is everlasting. When I see her, we can pick up our friendship from where we left off. I love her so much!!!! She is one AWESOME and special person in my life.  

Awesome experiences are usually hidden in the Unknown

Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

Recently I have been hiking a lot. Hiking is the time I think and reflect. Today was the fourth time I've hiked in Whiting Ranch. Each time when I get to the top of Mustard Road, I look out towards the Saddleback Mountains and the city I have lived in for over 15 years...the word AMAZING pops into my mind. For years, I have never wanted to hike Whiting Ranch because I was scared. There was a mountain lion attack in the early 2000 that left me Fearful of hiking there. I feared of the mountain lions. I feared of getting hurt. I feared of the poison ivy. I feared of getting lost. I feared of hiking alone. I had so many fears!!!

I realized that all throughout my life I have let the fear of the unknown stopped me from experiencing life. In the last three years, I have learned to become fearless. It is very natural for us to be scared of the unknown and then disengage from it. But the unknown is really not that scary.

Here are some tips to help with fear:
1. look it up: never go by the saying "what you don't know won't hurt you" because it will! make the unknown known. I google everything. When you know what to expect, the unknown is no longer a mystery.
2. just do it: what's the worst thing that could happen (within reason of course).

In the last few years, the awesome things I have experienced:
Ocean kayaking and stand up paddle boarding, outriggering in the back bay, running a half marathon, zip lining, cave swimming, bouldering, hiking some amazing trials, finishing my masters degree and nurse practitioner program...not only I have let go of my fears of doing certain activities, I have also let go of the fear of being hurt. I have allowed myself to be open and vulnerable to people. I have been burnt plenty of times, but I realized that I'm not going to allow fear of being hurt get in my way of experiencing love and being true to myself.

Bottom line: Go out and experience life without fear. Don't let the fear of unknown stop you. Life could be even more AWESOME than you can possibly imagine.

My SUPER DUPER AWESOME prima

Words cannot describe how fortunate I am to have Alice in my life. She is AWESOME to the infinity. She has been my best friend for 33 years! Her friend described us as "peas in a pod". We always have the time of our lives. Laughter is always guaranteed when we are together. It's her Birthday tomorrow (11/19)!!! She is turning 24 ;)

10 Things I Love About Her:

1. Thoughtful: always putting other people's needs before her own.

2. Considerate: goes hand in hand with thoughtfulness, very considerate to other people's feelings.

3. Compassionate: she is a volunteer coordinator at Season's Hospice and the perfect volunteer matchmaker! She helps patients who are dying feel that their life existence is important and deserves dignity.

4. Empathetic: she has been given the special gift of emotions. She has this incredible power that enables her to share another person's feelings.

5. a great listener: people are always talking to her. She listens and gives great advice.

6. an ultra extrovert: she is always talking to strangers because she finds other people's lives interesting.

7. loves mankind: she believes everyone is important and never fails to acknowledge another person's presence. She is great at addressing people by their names (never failed to look at someone's name tag and using it to acknowledge them). Always made that person feel special. She believes the good in people (once she gave a homeless man money and a hug).

8. a thrill seeker: she has skydived, bungee jumped, loves loves roller coasters and haunted houses. Every year we would go to some sort of haunted house where I'm screaming my head off in her ears and she laughs.


9. a fantastic partner in crime: We can do anything and have a great time doing it. There's a thing that we do that makes us super happy: we would randomly look at each other, fling our heads back, and laugh uncontrollably.

10. she makes me happy: this happens on a daily basis. Every morning, I wake up to a Jaihoo and Aloha! (She started greeting me with a Jaihoo ever since we watched Slumdog Millionaire; can't remember the origin of Aloha, but it was either from when she went to Hawaii or it was bc we love this hawaiian bbq place that gave ridiculous large portions for their bbq meat combo)

Happy Birthday Alice. You are my super duper Awesome PRIMA!!!!