No! I must dance!

I started taking piano lessons at 5 years old.

Not surprising coming from an Asian, I know.

But every year until I was 16 years old, piano was a huge part of my life.

Lessons every week, practicing every day, recitals every year, blah blah blah.

But let me tell you something about myself.

I have always always wished that it was dance classes my Mom put me in.

Tap, ballet, hip hop, jazz, anything I would have been grateful for.

But, no.

Piano it was.

Which is why, after meeting Setarra, I was instantly jealous.

Not only is she a dancer, but she also lives in New York (another fantasy of mine).

I had the opportunity to learn more about Setarra in this little interview of ours.

I really like her, and I'm pretty sure you will too.

Enjoy, be jealous, and show her some blog love, eh?

Ohhhhh tough question. And it's uber tough simply because I have not been the receiver of any blogging advice since I started my bloggity. (deer in headlights face)

I started my blog this past summer as a way to capture moments of my life and have been winging it ever since. 

It's been super cool to explore the blogging world by reading and following those blogs that capture my interests. 

A lot of what I've learned about this community has been from silent observation.
By silent observation, I mean ...
Reading blog posts, typing up comments and then deleting them before I hit send because I didn't quite feel like what I had to say was important or would make a difference in anyone's life.
But as of recently, I've finally felt comfortable (and confident) enough to reach out to other bloggers, leave comments when I feel a connection to a post I've read and allow my presence to be known. I don't know what I was so worried about since everyone I've made contact with has been super nice and welcoming!!! 

Since I'm still pretty new to it all, I would love to hear any advice you and your readers may have about blogging! Feed me knowledge! Give me the dirt ;)

I like to write about everything and anything that is going on in my life.
 I guess I approach my blog kind of like how I get dressed every day. I wake up in the morning, determine how I feel and dress accordingly. Except that in this case, I write accordingly. Buuuut ... if I had to narrow it down, I would definitely say that I like to write about my travels/explorations, food, dance and the various special events in my life.

You'll also see lots of my boyfriend, Charles, on the blog. We've been together for 5 years and Noooope...
We don't plan on getting married anytime soon. :)

Disclaimer:
Growing up with four brothers, I have the tendency to be blunt, cuss and talk about subjects that aren't deemed "lady-like". I don't think I would've survived my childhood if I hadn't learned how to out-cuss, out-sass and uber-gross out my brothers. Annnd sometimes these characteristics find their way onto my blog ...
I like to be honest. That's All ;)

After having knee surgery this past March, I had to commute back and forth to work with crutches for a month.
Did I mention that I don't own a car and am a subway commuter?
After a month of crip-walking back and forth via public transportation, I pretty much hated life because the NYC subway system is not disabled-friendly ... PERIOD.
Going up and down the stairs with crutches, hobbling into a packed rush hour train as fast as I could and trying to find a seat before it took off ... Those are just a few things I dealt with. As a result of my experiences, I have a huge respect for permanently disabled New Yorkers who deal with these issues every single day ...
But to tie it all together, I would definitely say that the most embarrassing thing that recently happened to me while I was recovering from knee surgery was when I peed on myself!
Luckily it only happened in front of my mom during the week she came to visit and take care of me but it was still sooo embarrassing. I hadn't peed on myself since I was in the 3rd grade and there I was, 25 years old, messing up the living room floor! My mom was laid out on the couch, laughing her butt off for a good 10 minutes before she finally helped me out of my clothes and took me to the bathroom so I could wash up. I don't know what I would've done if my mom hadn't been there to help me while I was recovering from surgery. Mom's are the best! 

A word of advice for anyone who is in a predicament where they have to use crutches:

Do NOT wait until the last minute to use the bathroom. Because where you would usually run to the bathroom and make it on time, you now have to hobble to the bathroom and guess what? You.Will.Not.Make.It.
 

I get Kimora Lee Simmons alot. Especially when I straighten my hair and get dolled up. 

In high school, all the kids used to call me "Baby Phat" after her clothing line. 

Maybe it's because we're both mixed and have long hair? Or maybe it's because we both have loud personalities? Who knows ...  But I'll take it as a compliment because I think she's looking pretty darn good after having 3 kids.
I also admire independent women who are self-sufficient and business savvy. Girl Power!

I just got my passport last year so I'm a little behind in the travel department. Graduating from college with a dance degree and trying to make ends meet while teaching dance and auditioning for gigs were a priority these past couple of years so I wasn't able to travel much.
But with my recent move to NYC for a new job that provided a more stable salary, I was able to finance my very first trip to the Caribbean on the beautiful island of St. John, USVI this past summer! 

I had an Ah-Mazing time there!!!
The beaches, the food, the music, the laid back vibe, and my beautiful tan (which is long gone now) ...
Ugh, take me back.

I just booked a trip to Barbados in January and will visit my mom in Chicago soon, both of which I'm super excited about. But other than that, I pretty much spend most of my time traveling between NYC and DC.

I am the BIGGEST scared-y cat.

I can't even watch the previews for horror films on TV because those images stick with me when I go to sleep and dream. My imagination is limitless. I've always been that girl who jumped or screamed while watching movies when something popped onto the screen out of nowhere (this includes Disney movies).

But there are moments when my fear has led me to do some crazy cool things and make some crazy cool decisions because at the end of the day ... I really do hate being a scared-y cat.

I'm scared of heights, soooooo 2 years ago, I went skydiving.

I got offered a job to work in New York two weeks after I tore my ACL dancing last year. I almost declined the offer because I was super scared about making a huge move before I fixed my knee. Instead, I delayed my surgery for 6 months, took the job, practiced walking with a bum leg and moved up to NYC three weeks after I got the offer.

I am also afraid of the ocean because it's the one place on earth that hasn't been completely explored. 

Who knows what's lurking down there? One can only imagine ... 

So when I went to St. John this past summer and Charles told me snorkeling was on the itinerary, I freaked out. But Charles promised to stay by my side and before I knew it, I was in the sea, snorkeling and swam with a freaking sea turtle! Don't get me wrong, I did my research and learned how to punch a shark in case it gets too close but luckily I didn't have to nunchuck anyone.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that fear is a double-edged sword. 

Despite being a scared-y cat, there are moments in my life when fear has motivated me to do some pretty amazing things. 

All I can do is accept it and try to keep the balance :)

Thanks Setarra!!!

Hopefully one day I'll bump into you on the dance floor of a popular New York club and we can have a dance battle much like this one:

xoxo

Check out her blog here!