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COMMENT
DECEMBER
NOVEMBER
OCTOBER
SEPTEMBER
AUGUST
JULY
- Breakfast at Tiffany's
- Ninja
JUNE
MAY
APRIL
- Drawathon
- Distant Serenity
MARCH
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
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DEC |
2018 |
 Voices
December 24, 2018
Wrapping up this year's doodle blog on a positive note. After hearing some breathtakingly soulful singers, it inspired me to write this little haiku:
Musical passion
possesses abilities
to realign souls.
Thank you BIV for reminding me of the joy music can bring.
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 Jolt
December 8, 2018
I did not quite finish all of the inktober prompts and there were several words I still wanted to doodle to. With superheroes on the brain, this “jolt” drawing turned collage makes me giggle. Even superheroes need a little pick me up every now and then. If only I liked the taste of coffee, I might have the energy to be super. Oh well, naptime beckons.
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NOV |
2018 |
 Kong
November 8, 2018
Well that was an eyegasm visual sensation! King Kong on Broadway has blown my miiiind. Broadway has entered a new realm of creative/technical genius. Thank you puppeteer masters for providing some much needed inspiration to remember that anything is possible.
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 Drain
November 2, 2018
This is a leftover “inktober” doodle I didn’t quite get to in time for October. There were several words on the list I ran out of time to draw for last month but still wanted to give em a go. This one was a bit of double feature for both the words Drain and Muddy. She makes me giggle thinking about splashin' around and singin' in the rain.
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OCT |
2018 |
Inktober
October 1–31, 2018
So I hopped on the inktober wagon this month and I’ve got to say, I loved it! It was a bit stressful trying to keep up with a doodle a day but if you can spare yourself the pressure of having to finish everything, or making masterpieces, it is really rewarding. Apparently this is an annual engaging activity for artists (or whoever) across maybe the world? Does anyone know how far across the globe inktober is a thing? Anyway, there are prompts with a word a day to draw from. Participants are encouraged to take the words as literally or as figuratively as they want and use them as a guide to have fun drawing. That I did! Here is a look at my first inktober doodles. I’m already looking forward to next years.
L–R: Roasted | Whale | Tranquil | Bottle |Spell | Drool |Weak | Sharp | Star |
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SEP |
2018 |
 Deja Vu
September 18, 2018
I’m so proud of my lil sis. She is not surviving college, she is THRIVING it. It must be nice to be so eager to do everything life has to offer. I don’t know if I have ever felt that way. Maybe I still can. Anyway, my awesome friend and I took a trip to Binghamton this weekend to pay a visit to my not so little little sis. For a place I have never been to, it felt oddly foreign yet simultaneously familiar. I’m pretty sure all dorms across the nation use the same pale yellow paint and cinder block like couches. College seems like a lifetime ago however a kind of de ja vu feeling consumed me spending time in that transitional world , an isolated oasis in between childhood and the real world. Memories came flooding back and I half expected to see familiar faces still at 19 despite being 30s, many with spouses and kids now. Regardless of the mixed feels of lingering college memories, hiking and hammocks with good people is always a weekend well spent. When I thought about those deja vu feels, this scene from the Matrix came to mind.
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 Moonlight
September 8, 2018
There’s nothing quite like a spontaneous moonlit glamping weekend to slow the world down for a moment. On a day’s notice, a few friends and I decided to revisit a campsite I had the opportunity to enjoy last year. While a short lived, one night only trip … it was magical. Walking through the woods to a beach at midnight without a flashlight was amazingly serene. The full moon was so bright it illuminated the way. Enamored by the moon, the stars, and the sounds of guitars and crackling fire, I remembered to breathe … the kind of breath that that fills your entire body and makes you reevaluate the universe and how you spend the majority of your time in it. Sunday afternoon was spent hiking around a tranquil cranberry bog followed by disappointment that I had to leave. I doodled this image from a magazine shortly after I returned from the getaway. Her face had the kind of inner calm that reminded me of moonlight.
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AUG |
2018 |
 Beacon
August 19, 2018
What an adventurous week and it is only just beginning. After a death defying escape from Yonkers last night, I went upstate for a day trip that began with an intense rock scramble of a hike. Surrounded by art, knick- knacks, friends, lavender ice cream and free “punch” I hope today’s visit to Beacon will not be my last. This doodle is an attempt to replicate a gift shop tattoo I have yet to decide where to apply. If Nick Fury had a jaguar cousin, I think he would look like this guy. This month, and week in particular, I have been flyin on adventure and may fly more tomorrow hehe.
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Bday Brigade
August 7, 2018
Thank you to friends and family for an incredibly fun and convenient birthday celebration! While I normally take the week fo r extravagant plans spanning across Long Island and Manhattan, I decided I’m too burnt out from commuting for the excitement of the city this year. I was worried that by choosing to stay close to home in the middle-of-nowhere Queens would result in me partying it up by myself on my couch. To my delight, friends made the trek for an evening of lounging around a nearby park overlooking the water followed by a coincidentally private dinner and livelier rooftop bar I did not even know existed. A lack of planning worked itself out as birthday shenanigans luckily fell into place. I got to eat, drink and be merry. The following day included the annual bday beach day joined by the entire extended family for dinner. I am so grateful for all the love that surrounds me as I continue this plummet into old(er) age.
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JUL |
2018 |
 Breakfast at Tiffany's
July 25, 2018
I had the pleasure of another sister getaway this year! My older sister and I took a second annual trip upstate to the magical “Moonrise Pond” thanks to its’ generous hosts along with an impromptu trip to our favorite themed motel. Our mom is the sweetest to brave the long drive to cook “with” us as we accidentally fell asleep. Sorry about that. Anyway, I could get used to a life of hot tubs, tiaras, fresh air and no traffic.
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 Ninja
July 6, 2018
I have had the delight of cat sitting recently. I have been in kitty withdrawal this year and it is so comforting to have this fluff ball to curl up next to. Ninja is the chill-est cat I know and I just might keep him hehe.
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JUN |
2018 |
 Rise
June 30, 2018
This month has been difficult as my mouth continues to heal. One thing I did not take into consideration was the inability to smile. I had to meet several new people the last few weeks. Do you know how difficult it is to say, “Hi! Nice to meet you!” without being able to smile? Try it, it is not easy! I never realized how much smiling affects your mood or how often I did unintentionally. Between having to eat everything in teeny tiny bites and having a smile-less face, I’ve been feeling pretty down. The song Rise Up came on recently by Andra Day and it helped me to take a deep breath and remember that in the scheme of ailments, I’ve got it pretty damn good.
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 Fear
June 23, 2018
What do you do when all of your dental disaster stress dreams become a reality? I found out a few months ago I needed to have some gross oral surgery done from something potentially caused by braces over 15 years ago. The surgery seemingly went well but appears to be taking a lifetime to heal and the constant dentist visits have revealed other mysterious issues that not a dentist, periodontist, oral pathologist or doctor can seem to figure out. If I remain undiagnosed, it will just disappear randomly like it came … right??? I am still healing but plagued by constant nightmares of my mouth unraveling and what ifs. What if I cannot play my instruments anymore? What if I become horribly disfigured? What if I can’t eat normally again? What if there is some awful deadly underlying condition lurking that will manifest overnight? Sigh. I guess only time will tell and I need to be patient and try to quiet my fears somehow. I wish I could pet my cat again, well always, but especially at times like this.
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MAY |
2018 |
 Asheville
May 13, 2018
Sometimes, an expensive nap is just what the doctor ordered! I had the loveliest extended weekend in Asheville, NC with my older sister. She had been boasting about how fun this city was for a while and how she wanted to go with me one day. When she saw that an exhibit featuring costumes from the movie Titanic was going on around her birthday, it was as if Asheville summoned us over! The exhibit was held in a Vanderbilt mansion with costumes and mannequins exquisitely designed and placed throughout the castle like grounds. We explored gardens—where we daydreamed, hiked a waterfall—where we napped on tree limbs and luxuriously enjoyed a salt room spa—where we also slept. I guess we have both been overworked and sleep deprived but hey, we know what we like. What a perfect little vacation!
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 Hoot
May 7, 2018
For every new school that opens at my job, my heart stops a little panicked how I can keep up with expansion when I am constantly already behind. However, new school = cool new staff to interact with and the opportunity to see new places plus … the fun of getting to design a mascot. It made me smile getting to doodle and design this cute lil guy for a promising elementary school in San Antonio, Texas.
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Distant Serenity
April 8, 2018
Pause. Take a deep breath. I have to remember to allow for moments of calm as tumultuous seas and creatures lurk. All the work and anxiety will still be waiting tomorrow so for tonight, letting that deep breath linger.
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Drawathon
April 6, 2018
My fourth annual drawathon! It is always such a struggle to get to Brooklyn especially after work for an all night event but every year I have gone, I’m always sooo happy I did! It feels amazing to be off the computer screen for a block of several hours and experiment with a variety of media, whatever mood strikes and refine my craft. It’s a weird night surrounded by nudity from all ages, races and genders but while focusing on drawing, the models eventually stop being awkward naked strangers and just start to become forms and shadows. As the night turns into morning in that magical bluelight window of delirium, your hand takes over and figures start to dance across the page.
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MAR |
2018 |
 The Honeybee
March 22, 2018
It’s a rewarding notion to see projects come to completion without being the one required to complete them! A while back, I was working on a logo design for a unique, innovative Garden Truck run by one of the nicest, down to earth, talented people I have had the pleasure of working with. I recently received a photo of the start of the truck painted with a logo I nearly forgot I had made. Check out www.thehoneybeetruck.com for all of your gardening needs/wants. :)
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Thailand
March 3, 2018
What an adventure. Thank you Jennifer Tam for a once in a lifetime experience! Only we would be crazy enough to fly across the world on a Groupon! This was our second Groupon inspired trip and this time learned some life lessons along the way. 1) When traveling to the opposite side of the globe, do your research and be willing to fly (in all fairness Jen did! I did not) 2) Do not trust people even if they have a warm smile 3) Elephants are spectacular 4) Sometimes rerouting by accident can lead to good. We definitely had an amazing cultural experience, but a great vacation? Well…
1) Research: it was not quite the paradise beaches I had pictured in my head but I suppose I should have known that staying a week in Bangkok. I did not realize the majority of scenic destinations were a plane ride away and after a 25 hour journey, we attempted to see sites that were reachable by ground transportation. I had hoped for a temporary escape from the hustle and bustle of New York City and traveling but found myself in another crowded city just a bit more run down with heartbreaking wounded dogs in the street and everything about a 3 hour $ ride apart. Luckily, the majority of things we did research turned out really well including a deliciously fun cooking class, an impressive muy thai show, a serene floating market, a death defying tuk tuk ride, monkey island and a day that made it all worthwhile, the elephant sanctuary.
2) Trust: I suppose I have been very lucky that I have always come across kind, helpful people while traveling. Hesitant to talk to strangers, I usually put my trust for answers in service industry employees. I thought for sure hotel employees, cab drivers and restaurant staff would be helpful in recommendations for what to do, where to go and where to eat. It took us a day or two to catch on that in Bangkok, they are seemingly all in cahoots! Thinking Americans must be wealthy, we were directed to overpriced everything until we wised up. Little did they know, us Americans were only in Thailand because of a discounted Groupon and heard the food was cheap pshh.
3) Elephants: Spending a day with elephants made the expenses and exhaustion worth it all! This doodle was sketched on the spot looking into the eyes of a live elephant inches away from me. It was like I was transported to a peaceful Jurassic Park. I envisioned waiting in long lines to get a glimpse of one and hand them a banana. Luckily this day, reality was waaaay better than my expectations could have predicted. We fed them buckets of food, made special rice balls for an older elephant who had trouble chewing, played in the mud with them (I may never be clean again but that’s ok) and bathed them. They are so gentle, playful, full of wisdom and unfortunately trauma. I never realized the abuse many elephants face in their lifetime. Thank you elephantsworld.org for rescuing these magical beasts and providing me with memories that will last a lifetime.
4) Reroute: attempting to get home was an adventure in itself. After 2+ hours in the Thailand airport, we ran to our flight. Weary and eager to go home 5 hours later, we landed in Shanghai prepared to catch a connection to NY. Unfortunately weather issues in NY had canceled all remaining flights for the day. It was a nightmarish 8 hours stranded in the Shanghai Airport, where every line seemed to connect to a line you had already been on and employees RUDELY avoided all eye contact and purposely ignored passengers’ questions and our overall existence. We easily decided not to spend the night in China but to reroute to Los Angeles in attempts to get back to NY from there. After the next 10 hour flight, delirious of day and time, we discovered flights were still not headed to NY for THREE days with no hotel accommodations because … weather issues, not their fault >: | Thank goodness for the amazing hospitality of friends, they saved us!!! We wound up with an extended vacation and had an awesome time in LA! Bless you facebook making it possible to randomly meet up with a coworker who generously showed us around the art district where we met and picture harassed Anderson Cooper. I would very much like to revisit California sometime soon. Thailand … thanks for the experiences but it’s not you, it’s me and I don’t think it is going to work out for us.
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FEB |
2018 |
 Ghosting
February 26, 2018
I would like to take a moment in this space to vent about a modern day phenomenon that has become a norm. I think it is morally vile and reprehensible and that inaction is called “ghosting.” When did it become ok to disregard a human existence? I have been told by many that this is a common thing and to try not to take it personally. This has become so common, there is even a radio show on PLJ for people who get blown off and ghosted. With all of the technological advances, is it THAT difficult to text, email, app message or fb message someone to say hey, I had fun but ultimately I’m not interested (for whatever reason.) How arrogant are people that after a few conversations or a date or two, people fear we will be so crushed to hear rejection they just say nothing at all? Get over yourself, stop being a coward and just say it like it is. The truth hurts but it is far better than overanalyzing on a loop where things went wrong, worried there’s been some horrible freak accident or just gradually getting increasingly crazy not having a clue why someone has fallen off the face of the earth after weeks or even months of pleasant exchanges. You wind up focused on all of your flaws wondering which were the most apparent, hating yourself until you realize, any ghoster is extra flawed and it is counterproductive to even look for ways to win back their affections when you don’t ultimately want them in your life. These are not desirable people. One text would calm an anxious brain down to a mere shrug and I’d go about my day. There is a difference between lack of initiative and blatant ignoring. If a convo fizzles out and no one reaches out to the other, not a problem but when someone purposely ignores questions and their silence says “you no longer exist to me” … unacceptable. If I have ever accidentally ghosted someone, I am truly sorry but I’m pretty certain I have never blatantly ignored someone and I hope I never do.
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 Galentine's
February 15, 2018
I guarantee you my Valentine’s Day was cooler than yours. Vday is very over hyped and often leads to a lot of disappointment for most but I for one have always liked it if just for the discount day after chocolates. This year my friend invited me for a Galentine’s day consisting of homemade pizza and a belly dancing class! How could I say no to that?! You simply cannot feel blue with bells on your ass as you jingle like Shakira no matter how ridiculous you may feel or look. Galentine’s day success!
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JAN |
2018 |
 Bell Pain
January 30, 2018
A fresh new year and I’m already leaving projects to the last minute. Last year, some friends encouraged me to participate in a one minute film festival. This caught on to become an annual thing and I told myself this year, I would leave myself more time to complete a submission. Woops! Although I rushed through this, it was still a ton of fun to make and see other submissions. My assigned two words were “Bell Pain.” Here is what I came up with. Click here to watch. Maybe next year, with more time, some sort of puppet show? Hmmmm.
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 Sunrise
January 2, 2018
How to begin the year? Resolutions I don’t intend to keep? Dwelling on past losses?—nope. This year, I wanted to start out looking forward. My coworker told me about a Korean New Year’s tradition I decided would be fun to try. While in America, we get drunk and hung over for new year’s typically, in Korea, apparently the year begins with a trip to the nearest beach to watch the sunrise. While this sounded like a beautiful beginning, I did not fully believe it was a tradition—until we got to the beach. After staying up all night catching up with my little sister, we drove out to the beach in frigid weather like lunatics to get a glimpse of the ocean sunrise. Upon arrival, we could not believe our eyes. Beyond the breathtaking pink icy sky, every Korean family in Long Island must have been at that beach. Laughing and FREEEEEZIIINGGG we started the year hopeful and optimistic surrounded by our new Asian friends under the frigid glowing sky.
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