My friend, Hayden, is very dear to me.  I still remember the night I wrote in my journal about having found him as a friend and was lucky to have him. He was the first to help me realize that most of the things I encountered in my childhood made up a collage of wonderful stories. Perhaps we will someday write the book. Until then, here's a little video of adventures and delights. Most of the clips are from random trips we've had over the years and from his friends and family (thanks to everyone who helped!) ♡

i've been 29 for ten days now. so far, so good. it's so interesting to look back and re-read thoughts and wishes from previous birthdays. i have come so far, learned so much and grown tremendously; but at the same time i haven't changed at all. there are no specific lists, thoughts or wishes for this year. come to think of it, i didn't blow out a single birthday candle. i slipped into this year quietly, but it was unforgettable. no number of facebook posts or birthday candles could have matched the way in which i actually took time to celebrate myself. so for the remaining 355 days of my twenties (gasp!) i want nothing more than to learn to be better at staying in the space of the "unknown". i struggle with uncertainty. my relationship with change has been rather tumultuous because there is this part of me that always wants to have it figured out instead of just letting it be. i struggle equally with thinking too much about the past, wondering about the what-ifs and should-haves. judging my actions and wishing i could time travel for a "do-over". while i don't plan on time traveling anytime soon (i actually find it terribly confusing), i do believe there are situations that come around and around and around again, and we are presented with opportunity and choice. we can choose to see things differently. we can choose to make the same mistakes again. or we can choose to handle things in a completely different way. i believe this is healing. i want to continue with my life as.it.is. to continue in this space. to loosen the grip. i want to live fully. to tend to my garden of friends. to grow. to have adventures. to allow room for mistakes and remember compassion, because there will always be times when we don't get it right - or just don't get it at all. i want to be thankful daily. to love freely. to dream. i want to be open to possibilities. i want to be.

hello march, it's the last month before my birthday. 28 has not been my favorite year. astrology friends joke about it being my "saturn return". whatever the hell it is, it has been r-o-u-g-h, but the words of processing these feelings are saved for the moleskin and book margins. so, for the last month of this year...let's be kind to each other (starting with compassion). and let's hope 29 shines.** because the stronger part of you (from other moments in time) knows that it can. 

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art – write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself. - Neil Gaiman

**Just a little reminder for 28...along with finishing some of the things off of the list from 27.

What's that? Little elephant paper weight sitting on my desk (you were acquired when seeing the Lion King a few years ago)You have something to tell me! Oh my! It looks like you are trying to spell! Oh, and look! Your friends decided to join you!Turtle brought his own message...It's a birthday! (it's fitting that Turtle would bring this message, since he was acquired when volunteering with this lovely birthday gal). Kim and I became friends when she was a volunteer at my New York Cares project and eventually was coaxed into team leading with me! Since both of our names are Kim, the kids call us Kim 1 and Kim 2 -- (only calling their favorite of the day Kim 1 - depending on their mood)Yeah for birthdays! Happy Birthday Kim! Today YOU are Kim #1!!

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRIENDS! :)melanie *today*amy *may 9*and to my dearest Georgia Peach *april 30*our darling peach isn't old enough to know what a blog is yet,  but at least it's internet stamped so some day she'll know i didn't forget!and for those other May birthdays out there...Happy birthday to you. Birthdays are awesome....roommate birthday greetings to come soon...**HAPPY FRIDAY FOLKS! WE MADE IT!xoxo

You're probably wondering what in the world is a "Krull shop"...well, my friends - let me tell you...."Krull" is something Hayden started calling me - I have no idea why - but for some reason it stuck - so much that I almost signed a painting Krull in my last painting class.Now the "shop" part comes from asking my friends to help me finish a project and me sort of making fun of sweat shops...Remember the Visions tactile mural that I started last year?Well, I finally finished it -- thanks to my friends - THANK YOU!!! At my birthday brunch last week I asked me friends to help re-glue some pieces of this tactile mural. This was a much easier task than previous birthday requests of tree planting and gardening... **Thanks again everyone! I presented the mural the students last night and they loved it! It will be hung in Visions over the next few weeks. :)Warm fuzzies all around :)Happy hump day folks!

Today is my birthday.I love birthdays, I really do.Besides creating fun greetings for people, I find that birthdays bring me a sense of renewal. I'm able to reflect on previous years, but more importantly decide where I want to be in the upcoming year.So where do I want to be for 27? For 27 I just want to be...I've always struggled with self-esteem and insecurities - which I think everyone does - but I think I'm coping with those feelings better than I ever have.I'm okayI'm happyI'm slowly learning to actually self-love instead of just talking about it and I'm just figuring it out.2:00 ama couple of hours into my birthday(I was up way too late)For 27... from the moleskin ... (I wrote this on the plane coming back from KW)Here are few other things I'd like to do this year - in my favorite - list form!

• Keep challenging myself with my job and try to feel more confident, this would help with many things! I've learned a LOT in the past 4-6 months and think I can learn more. I sort of fell into this job, but have found that I really like what I do, and I think it's a perfect place for my people pleasing-ness and organizing skills!
• Create goals for my art explorers class and have a better planned lessons to encourage more kids to come
• Travel more
• Plan a trip to volunteer abroad
• Attempt to actually learn the languages I keep saying I'm going to learn... (German and Spanish) - hmm maybe I'll take a class
• Keep taking photos
• Take another painting class - this has helped me so much! Perhaps an OIL painting class.
• Learn to cook an Indian dish - so the next time I visit Mary in Oklahoma I can cook for her
• Practice guitar or piano at least twice a week
• Write and illustrate a children's book
• Become more knowledgeable in the things I care about (social issues) and how to help vs. getting on a soap box and ranting my beliefs
• Never lose my quirky, girly, childish self (this has been in all of my journal "lists" ever since I was 18

So.. it's a birthday :) And it will be a good day.Hope you all have wonderful days and birthdays and whatnot.xoxoxo

I love birthdays. :) And this is quite possibly the sweetest birthday present I've ever seen.When Sean asked us to all to send in videos for McKinze, I had to do something fun. I'm notorious for making people strangers sing happy birthday - AJ - remember when I got on the intercom at Michael's?This time I wanted a beautiful choral song in four part harmony. My choir did a lovely job, but it didn't record! Of course, I realized this after the fact while on the 1 train home...the result?An impromptu birthday song on the train. And yes, I'm pretty sure everyone thought I was crazy.Last night, I did ask the choir to try again - but my phone stopped after 9 seconds of harmony!Anyway, there you have it. A whole lot of birthday wishes for you!p.s. the sweetest thing is also a great song by Camera Obscura

გილოცავთ დაბადების დღესThese pretty squiggles are supposed to be "Happy Birthday" in Georgian -- I hope they are right!!McKinze!I hope you have a great birthday. I had my choir sing a song for you twice, but my stupid phone stopped working BOTH times -- so I wrote you a little song tonight. Enjoy!Lyrics~Dear friend, you are far away tonight.In a country where you eat lots of bread and wineSince I can't toast with you todayHere's a song of all the things I'd say anywayI'm thinking about word dojo at Joe's Place and how we'd always winAnd even though the Hawkeyes weren't as good they've beenDo you remember the time I saved the bunny from your catsLola and Winston?And sitting around talking "philosophers of love"So even if you find yourself missing homeRemember there's always bunnies to save.**this is just a silly song that I wrote very late at night :) Hope you enjoy!**For those that want to know what life is like in the Peace Corp -- my friends McKinze and Sean have lots of fun stories!

!!!In case that wasn't clear - HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETHY!!and just because you're learning German.alles Gute zum Geburtstagbut because i don't want to look too crazy at my desk, you only get that message in English!I love you friend! Have a great day. :)Sending you lots of love from New York!I hope you have an awesome day because YOU are awesome. :)

New York is very cool. Some places are so cool you need a membership ~ like the Norwood. Last week, I got to go to this extravagant club and it was - well - cool and [insert every adjective for 'cool' here]. ht - my lack beyond 'cool' is just for you! haha jk. ;)**On to the photos!That night, there were pretty shadows...and a full moon in the sky.perfect for our Virgo birthday girl!The space itself is tucked away in this townhouse...Inside it's full of art...a screening room...and fun places for self portraits...But the highlight of the evening (besides the birthday, of course!) was imagining Julian with long hair again (he had long hair in high school!).I can't help it, but this photo makes me laugh every time I scroll down and see it!Thanks for letting us see the Norwood and I hope you had a splendid birthday!**p.s. I can't believe how long my hair has gotten! I'm so excited!! No more bad "Asian-dora hair!!"p.p.s. I have the best stylist in NYC! :)

Birthdays are the best.Haven't you noticed how everyone is nice to you on a birthday? Birthdays always put me in a good mood!This has been a nightmare-of-a-week, but today is Friday - which means I survived - and it was an office birthday!Much like the show ~ everyone in our office gets a cake/treat of choice for their birthday. I often help with the cake and song. It's always fun to find out what people like. My friend, Julian, was creative for his birthday and asked for flan - of which the leftovers ended locked in an apartment for a week with Hayden's keys... long and funny story.Anyway, we've been prepping for a photoshoot, so the camera was out and the designers had a little bit of fun.(p.s. Can you guess which one is me?)This definitely brightened my day!Have a great weekend!- go ahead -pretend it's your birthday!

Last night there was a sky of cotton candy.I was on the Highline as I watched it fade away...between the lines and over the river.The sky was wispy and dreamy, as the sun made room for the moon.At sunset I said goodbye to 25.At sunrise I said hello to 26.Today is flowery!Today is a day of radiance!Today is my birthday!I'm thankful for all the kindness and pretty things I have that make me smile. And I'm thankful for all of my friends that came to celebrate with me!A wise person (thank you, wise person) recently introduced me to SARK, who's an incredibly brave and free spirited artist that shares her life through her work! Her work was the inspiration for another one of my favorites, Sabrina Ward Harrison. Both of them have inspired me to release my emotions through my art.At my birthday dinner, I gave everyone their birthday from this 2004 daily calendar. We also picked out different messages for each other. It was fun passing them around and seeing what words of inspiration they had for their day, and what people wanted to say to each other (keep in mind, most of you were strangers!)April 7, 2004 was a "day of radiance!"I think this still applies. :)So here's to being 26 and everything it will bring :)

• Colorful lists!
• An organized desk
• Trains that come on time (and being okay with the ones that are late!)
• Park days with kites and bubbles
• Smiles
• Laughs
• Spontaneity
• Sunshine
• Color!
• Art!
• Kitty snuggles
• Hugs
• Kisses
• Singing
• Uncoordinated dancing
• Future snowball fights
• Falling into piles of leaves
• Longer hair :)
• Accepting changes; even those random gray hairs!
• And of course, lots of love and figuring out what that means to me.

As we all have our own birthdays, I wish you each colorful lists of all the things you love!xo!