Endings and Beginnings

So, I’m just writing this post to let you know I’m back to blogging. I have a lot to catch you up on but I’ll make it brief —

1. Trump got elected in November 2016. 2016 is also the last year I blogged. Hmm, coincidence? If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
2. Lots more responsibility at work as I was slowly encouraged to be part of middle management. I definitely did not have fun but learned a lot about being a leader.
3. Marriage, pregnancy,  and a health scare.
4. A baby who is now a toddler while husband in grad school,
5. Diet and lifestyle change — more vegan, more yoga, more walks, more Ayurveda.
6. Taught myself to crochet, sew, and embroider.
7. Family finally closer.

And presently—
1. COVID-19 pandemic, self-isolation and social distancing. No daycare. Working from home with kid.
2. Anti-immigration policies and impact on international education.
3. Overt racism, more black people murdered for no reason, and #BlackLivesMatter
4. I’ll be laid off soon. More time to blog, yea!
5. I’ll be laid off soon. Possible end to my career as an international educational professional. Sigh.
6. Selling our house. Moving to another city soon. Closer to family but further from friends.
7. Perhaps time to officialize my haphazard online business selling sewed and embroidered bags, pouches, etc.
8. Murder hornets!! Ok, I haven’t had direct contact with one of these but I hear they are here in the U.S now.

Plague, pestilence, famine, drought, violence....now, I’m just waiting for the moon to drip blood. You know it will be all over then. I suppose I’ve had a good run. Made it to middle-age pretty unscathed. #blessed

Back to Blogger and Basics

I must apologize for going AWOL for the past year or so. Things have been a little insane. I've come to realize that I bring a lot on myself because things have to be "just so" for me to be ok with it. That's called being a perfectionist and it takes a lot of work. Blogging and journaling keep me grounded, in the present, and sane. So not having done much of either of those things lately made the last year seem pretty overwhelming.

I have always felt a little bit confused about what I want this blog to be about. It's so hard to compartmentalism my life as everything seems to spill into everything is else. This blog started off as a replacement for my journal but I now realize that there are things that I'd rather not have in the web-o-sphere. Apparently I have to live in my surroundings and therefore not post anything too controversial especially about work or politics. Some people would say that's pretty cowardly but I think it's just plain smarter to not have drama in your life. So this is what I have decided --

This blog may remain mostly about socio-cultural differences and the latest micro aggressions I come up against but also food. Why food? Well, not only because the title of this blog makes that topic quite apt but also because my perceptions of food are very deeply culturally rooted. I am what I eat, right? So, I guess this blog is going to be be about food and culture mostly. RI'm thinking recipes and stories about those. And, also, just to keep people on their toes, perhaps something about the latest microaggressions I've seen. 🤗
Until next time...

- LCJ