The trench coat that went to Ireland

Every time I wear this trench coat, which admittedly isn't as often as I'd like (THANKS California weather for always being so sunny and sunny and sunnier) I am reminded of the glorious week I spent in Ireland 2 years ago. I wore this coat on the plane which was a good thing considering I only took one other jacket (from Forever 21) and it got lost somewhere between San Francisco and Washington D.C. I would've been so mad if this trench coat would've been lost. But I don't even want to think about that!

I feel like this green trench coat is one that I'll wear for many years to come. I mean, I hope it'll last that long. I have another trench coat (you know, the Holly Golightly kind) and just the other day, I put my hands in the pockets and one of the pockets ripped right before my eyes! It was shocking as I've always believed trench coats are a staple piece that will last a very long time.

Anyway. This green trench has even more special meaning to me now that it's gone with me to Ireland. It saw the Cliffs of Moher, the Rock of Cashel, Dublin (it was a lifesaver during a huge rain storm I got caught in while strolling the streets) and so much more. I've promised it that we will go back to the Emerald Isle together again someday.

Hometown Glory: A trip to Northern California

Over the past week, I took a little bit of a break from the online world (except for Instagram because, duh what is life if I can't take a peek at everyone's #ootds and flatlays) and traveled back to my small hometown in Northern California. 

My hometown is, I guess you could say, more than just one town, because of close proximity to each other, it's more of a cluster of hometowns since I spent so much of my youth in each of the separate towns.

Many of you might be able to relate: when you leave your hometown, you tell yourself you'll never feel the need to come back (except for the yearly visit to relatives or if you're horrible like me, you only visit every 5 years) and nothing was ever more important than escaping for good. My hometown(s) is no London or Paris (far from it, actually) but when living there, it was way too easy to notice only the negative aspects of it. 

The last trip to my hometown was about 4 years ago and it was a blurry memory of anything but happiness. This time, however, it was an unexpected delight and everything that a visit to one's hometown should be. I visited all my old favorite places (landmarks and restaurants) and saw some old faces including many relatives that I hope to see more often. It was just such a pleasant experience from start to finish that- can you believe it- I actually didn't want return to my current home!

I finally saw my hometown for what it's been all along- both good and bad- but mostly just good: a small community filled with (mostly) friendly laid back people, agriculture in abundance and warm sunshiney weather (the way it should be this time of year). It was nice to see grass again and feel the warm breezes. It was nice to be given a free bag for your purchases at a store rather than having to pay 10 cents for it. It was nice to see so many beautiful old architectural structures. It's weird to think about but so much of what I love and appreciate now is because of what I grew up knowing in my hometown community (i.e. farming/fresh produce, old homes, small towns).

Of course, I won't say I'll be moving back any time soon, if ever, but at least I'll always have a place to call home...

This is what happened when I adopted a second dog

It's hard to believe it's already been one month since I introduced Lulu to the world. When I adopted her, she was scrawny, her fur was disheveled and she just had this huge cushion of sadness surrounding her. It makes me sad to even think about it. Flash forward to the present and I can't even imagine life without her now...

Lulu's improved so much and honestly, it's all just due to love and a bit of food. In the month she's been here, I have made sure to give extra love and patience to her because I know she has had to endure so much change within her lifetime. I'm also so glad Djinn Djinn seems to be accepting her well. I think he knows that's she's here to stay so he's dealing with it. ;)

She's a normal weight now and her fur is growing in nicely. In fact, I just gave her a bath today, which she hates so we'll have to work on that. I had bathed her on the first day I adopted her because she had that kennel smell but it was definitely time for another bath today. 

I love her little personality- she's gentle and sweet but feisty. She's playful and curious and does great on walks. She actually motivates Djinn Djinn to walk, which is so nice because sometimes he's difficult on walks. I think the hardest thing about Lulu is just making sure to not step on her accidentally because she is so tiny. I'm very cautious about how fast I walk now and I don't make any abrupt movements. In this aspect, it's actually helped me to become more conscious of what I'm doing and to not hurry through everything. Lulu also follows Djinn Djinn around everywhere and wants to be just like him, the grumpy little old man that he is. She learns quickly, even the things that she shouldn't learn (like digging through the trash can or begging). I'm so glad she's a part of my life now. I have so much love to give her.

Have you ever owned more than one pet at the same time?

The newest family member

Her very first day at home- I can't imagine how stressful and scared a shelter dog's life is but I hope Lulu will feel nothing but safety and love in my household.

On Saturday morning, I woke up at the spur of the moment- a lot earlier than I normally would've anyway- and decided I just HAD to go and adopt this little chihuahua I had seen online at the local humane society. However, this definitely wasn't a spur of the moment decision. I had been wanting to do this ever since I first adopted Djinn Djinn 6 years ago (I have always felt guilty about the fact that I wasn't able to adopt his little sister and his mother who were also at the pound-- the POUND--animal shelter is too kind of a description, in my opinion).

The desire to adopt another pup was particularly strong lately. I feel like Djinn Djinn is calmer and more adaptable than he's ever been even though I was still pretty nervous about how he would react to a new little friend since he has never been around dogs much. It might sound ridiculous but the whole night before, I couldn't stop thinking- should I go and adopt the little chihuahua? Should I? After all, this would be the first time I'd ever have 2 pets at the same time. What'll it be like having 2 dogs? Should I? Should I? I literally had dreams of it throughout the night and when I woke up that morning, I knew I had to go and be first in line to adopt this little girl.

Her second day at home- she's started being a bit more playful. I can't believe how adaptable dogs are.

Weighing in at a little over 4lbs, I have decided to call her Lulu after one of my favorite childhood cartoons, Little Lulu. I also wanted her to have a short 2 syllable name like Djinn Djinn's but somehow, thinking up female dog names is a lot harder than male names, at least for me it was! When I saw Lulu's listing online (formerly, her name was 'Si'), she sounded like everything I was looking for in a second dog: tiny, calm, friendly, and gets along with other dogs & what a coincidence that she's about 6 years old (same age as Djinn Djinn!).

So... why did I decide to adopt a chihuahua? For many reasons. I know lot of people tend to think most chihuahuas are hyper and annoyingly aggressive but I could never rule out an entire breed simply because of such stereotypes. I wanted a dog that fits with my lifestyle- with Djinn Djinn being on the medium size (20lbs) I wanted a second dog who wouldn't overwhelm him and one that would be very easy to travel with or basically just easy enough to carry around everywhere. Also, I've heard that chihuahuas are hugely overpopulated here in California so if I could have a hand in helping to make one less Chihuahua homeless then I feel that much better. They are wonderful little creatures.

Lulu already seems to be adjusting well to her new home- she sleeps a lot and she needs to gain maybe half a pound. She has some dental issues and that makes me sad when I think of how neglected she must've been. Her fur is a bit scraggly right now but I think she'll grow a healthy coat in no time. I feel like she was meant to be in this household- she is just perfect and I love her so much already, it feels like she's been with us forever. I hope Djinn Djinn will warm up to her eventually. So far he's keeping his distance like a sulky little child.

I don't mean to sound like a crazy dog lady (too late, right?) but, life is just so much better with a dog(s).

The bicycle necklace

I have always been a jewelry admirer. When I was little, I loved buying the cheap plastic/metal rings from the 25 cent machines they have at supermarkets. Rings were my thing. I've never been into expensive fine jewelry even though as I've gotten older, I definitely do see the difference between choosing quality over quantity. For the most part, I am attracted to vintage costume jewelry but when I was in my teens, I'd usually buy the type from Forever 21 and it was oddly satisfying. When I first adopted Djinn Djinn, I kinda stopped wearing jewelry regularly because I found that he would get scared if I wore bangles or long necklaces while holding him- the things you do for your furry pals! But recently, I've started to wear jewelry a bit more often as my outfits were becoming way too boring without it.

Unfortunately, most of my current jewelry pieces aren't really practical for everyday use (most of my jewelry have been gifts from friends and family) because they're too flashy or they just don't go with everything I wear regularly. I've only recently started to buy a few pieces that I've chosen myself. 

I saw this bicycle necklace at TJ Maxx and it immediately caught my attention- it was a bit more delicate than what I'd normally pick but somehow, it just spoke to me. If a piece is going to be delicate, I love it when it has a subtle quirkyness. Normally, I would just admire a piece and then walk away but this one stayed in my mind as I continued shopping so I decided I had to have it. One of the things I made sure before buying it was that the chain would hit my neck at a good spot- I'm so weird when it comes to necklaces, I definitely can't deal with choker necklaces or the ones that hit right in the center of the curve of the neck- you know the spot I mean? I feel like I'm literally being choked! 

As soon as I put the necklace on, I felt a special connection to it. I suddenly realize that the bicycle kind of had a symbolic meaning for me. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by adult life lately and often feel like I'm kind of taking a slower route than most of my peers. It's as if I'm bicycling my way through life while everyone else is driving a sports car. It's weird how that is, isn't it? Even though this isn't fine jewelry, I can see myself wearing it for a long time. Plus, it's really just a charming little piece.

What kind of jewelry do you like? Are you a necklace, bracelet, earring type of person? Or do you wear all of them at the same time?

A letter to myself on my birthday

Dear self,

It's your day today. Take a minute and stop being so hard on yourself. You're not a naive little teenager anymore (you haven't been for a long, long time) so  feel comfort in knowing that even though things are not at all how you expected, you're getting somewhere even if it doesn't feel like it. Honestly, when you were younger, you never thought much about what it would be like to reach this age. One thing was for sure: you often had 90s kid "visions" of your future grown-up self wearing jeans and a blue chunky knit sweater while running errands in a little red sports convertible car. It's funny to think about now. Not only do you not have a red convertible car, you don't even have a car at the moment. AND, these days, you wouldn't choose a red convertible if given the choice.

Life at this very moment- from here and for all the upcoming tomorrows- is so unpredictable. When you were a teen, you never once thought about death or how fragile life is. You also never thought about how easy it is to stand in your own way. You're making plans but you're more than prepared to bend them. You are making progress even if you are taking baby steps. You are so much stronger than you believe. What really matters most is how you feel about yourself at the end of each day- and remember, keep trying to live a life in which should someone have anything bad to say about you, no one would believe it. Celebrate another year of life- I love you so much.

California Cold Rush

"If you want to learn what someone fears losing, watch what they photograph..."