Serendipity's Profile - MyAnimeList.net

uni Apr 20, 2:32 PM

I couldn't resist using the above gif when you said your cousin's wife asked if you thought IU or Suzy is prettier, which was so funny and truly does feel like a question from another time (much like the gif itself) LOL.

I actually wrote the above sentence and already had the gif picked out last night before immediately proceeding to KO (which seems to be a recurring theme lately for me... and us!) and was kind of weaving in and out of being asleep and awake until I finally had to get up to help my dad with lunch haha. This will be a bit shorter in hopes that it reaches you before your flight (and if not, hopefully it can greet you not long after you land!).

Likewise, thank you for all that you've been sharing with me, both before and throughout your trip! I genuinely consider it to be the highest honor to be a part of your life in this way, and just know that I cherish each and every single message from you! I'm definitely the same way about not sending many updates to friends over text, and as you've mentioned before about how messaging versus talking in-person may have encouraged us to share more freely (coupled with us both being verbose!), I don't think I go into this much detail or depth even when I do see friends IRL haha. Even though I haven't been on a trip recently like you (on the contrary, as we both know, I've mostly just been experiencing the joys of napping as of late LOL), you're likely the friend that knows the most about me from so many different angles (and for better or for worse, this includes my passion for a certain rhythm game LOL). The past two weeks have been pretty quiet but also a bit of a whirlwind for me (I blame napping on this!!), so it always gave me something to look forward to, knowing I could unwind at the end of the day through one of your travel diaries. Despite our 15-hour time difference (again, your tip has been kind of revolutionary!), I could truly sense that you were living life to the fullest and that gave me the courage and motivation to do my best too! Even when you're back home and your travel diaries take a bit of a pause, there's so much more for us to cover and share with each other (and topics to revisit, which is mostly on me for lagging!!) so, if anything, I'm even more excited for what the future has in store for us both. :') From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Sara. ♥

Ahhh I actually noticed that we recently crossed three years of knowing each other too (also no worries about the birthday thing haha it's all good, really!!). When I told you that I thought you were super cool when we first met (I still stand by this and somehow you get even cooler with time! goals?!), this prompted me to go back to our earlier messages too and I got such a kick out of rereading them ahaha. Especially with those first couple of messages, I'm pretty sure I was telling myself something along the lines of "be cool, be cool" the whole time while writing them LOL. How things have changed because I now unleash my full inner dork around you with no reservations whatsoever ahaha. I also laughed at me apologizing over my message being soooo long when it didn't even hit 500 words, while I now lament over my messages being a mere 5k words!!! Me from three years ago had no idea what was to come and probably didn't even realize how often I would come to frequent hazukashii serifu jail, but I wouldn't have it any other way since I know you're by my side throughout it all! Thank you for taking that first step to reach out to me, because as they say, the rest is history and I was able to make a dear friend for life through our serendipitous (your MAL username fits you like a glove!) encounter. Love you lots!!! ♥

The fact that everyone was able to come together one last time for dinner was really touching and reminiscent of your magical OT10 Macau outing from earlier! As you said, it really speaks to the importance of family, but even away from that, I think it's truly a testament to how well loved and special you are that those around you happily put aside any differences they may have (whether they're personal or due to scheduling conflicts!) to make time for you. :') Like you, I also think I've become more comfortable expressing my true feelings and appreciation for others over time without second guessing myself (especially since I want to live a life with as minimal regrets as possible!), and I think that's one of the beauties of growing older, wiser (not just me, but definitely you too!), and more mature. I'll get to this more eventually (likely in a future Le Petit Prince!) but wanted to quickly mention that I really relate to what you've been sharing because I also always felt a bit of a language barrier growing up with my extended family on my dad's side (since none of my aunts and uncles can speak English), as my Korean used to be rather poor and probably akin to an elementary schooler's. I still have a ways to go, but ever since I started living with my aunt a couple months after my mom passed away, my Korean has improved tremendously haha. When we first started living together, I would mostly just sit in silence during dinner and smile politely (with my resting content face, which we are both familiar with!) because I didn't feel confident in my Korean speaking abilities. This made me really disappointed in myself, so at some point I decided I had enough and started slowly venturing outside my comfort zone by speaking more Korean to my aunt, even if I had a lot of incidents fumbles initially haha. It wasn't always easy (and still isn't because I find Korean to be a challenging yet fun language!), but I've come a long way because I'm super close to my aunt now and we talk a lot everyday. She even vents to me often about interpersonal conflicts in her hiking/camping group, and I feel honored that she's willing to share things like that with someone so much younger than her, as I feel like it would be easier to just dismiss my thoughts and opinions as someone much less experienced and worldly than her (my sister said something to that effect almost 15 years ago when I started college, that our age gap makes it hard for her to share her hardships more freely with me because she feels like I'm too young to relate or understand, and I think her words hurt me at the time, which is why I still remember them to this day haha). A couple months ago, my aunt told me I have a funny way of expressing myself, and I initially thought she was referring to my Korean being stunted, but she clarified that I have a unique way of viewing the world and the things around me and she hopes I write a book someday haha. I'm glad some of this comes through in my Korean, and although I'm still not at a level I would like to be while speaking it, it's exciting to think that the sky's the limit and we can only continue improving from here!

Phew, that ended up turning into an unexpectedly long ramble about myself, but I've meaning to share it for quite a while now! Anyways, the reason I went on this tangent in the first place was because I really understood a lot of the feelings you shared about your time with family, and it made me happy to hear that your Cantonese has been rapidly improving in just the short duration of your trip (thanks in part due to cute baby talk with Tze Huen!). I have no doubt that you (and we!) will continue growing in new and unprecedented ways as we become more comfortable expressing ourselves to others, as well as in our respective languages (I know firsthand how not-easy this can be, so all the more kudos to you!). This makes me incredibly excited for what's to come in the future. :') I know you know this, but I'm always cheering you on and wishing you and your cousins the best as your bonds only strengthen with age and time. It warmed my heart that you got to see your grandmother once more before departing, and I hope both our grandmothers stay in good health and celebrate many more birthdays to come. ♥

I'm getting dinner with my HS best friend tonight after learning a couple days ago that she would be in town this weekend, which I'm really looking forward to! I haven't seen her in what feels like ages because she mostly just stays in San Diego and hangs out with her and her husband's friend group based there. For this reason, she's also not really "a part of" the HS friend group (the one consisting of Teacher Friend, MBA Friend, and Lawyer Friend) I hang out with the most even though she used to be pretty close to a couple of them, so I'm the only one from HS she still keeps in touch with. She mentioned wanting to eat noodles tonight so we're most likely getting Korean food. It's funny because she mentioned noodles just as I was about to make ramyeon (not me getting exposed again for my ramyeon addiction LOL) so I decided to put a pin in that, but if we're opting for more general Korean food (update 1: nvm she just texted me and we're going to the Korean-owned Japanese place I've been to a couple times before), I will probably go back to my original ramyeon lunch plans LOL (update 2: also nvm because I just microwaved a slice of leftover pizza instead since I wasn't feeling too hungry haha). I actually wondered if she would be going to Coachella this weekend because pjsk guy, who is in her friend group, texted me about it on Tuesday. As you can probably see from the "today" at the top, I screenshotted it right away with the intention of showing it to you but it took me forever to actually get around to that haha (and as you can see... I'm an iPhone user, uh oh!). Like I told him, his main motivation for going to Coachella being friendship is so wholesome LOL. He texted me last night that he didn't end up going because ticket prices were too high and linked me to the livestream just as Miku was performing, so I got to catch a part of her performance, which was really nice! On that note, he's probably my only IRL friend who knows what a Miku is.

Anyways, I wish you a safe and smooth flight and fingers crossed there are just as few crying children (if not even fewer!) this time around. :) At least you have the music downloaded from a couple weeks ago (still can't believe it's already been that long!) to keep you company. Whether you read more webtoon, watch anime, or catch some z's throughout it, I hope the time passes by quickly and allows you the space to reflect on your trip as you move between continents and time zones. :') Speaking of anime, I'm still mildly relieved you didn't watch much of it during your flight to HK so I was able to send my dorky congratulatory message just in the nick of time (since deleted but subsequently immortalized through my screenshot LOL). Looking forward to welcoming you back to America with my figurative open arms once you do land! ♥

PS: It's funny because my phone has autocorrected Kanade to Canada a couple times this week, so even my phone seems to know what's up by jumping the gun in anticipation of your arrival back home LOL

Edit: Nvm HS Best Friend texted me again and we're getting tofu soup now so Korean it is LOL

uni Apr 19, 1:51 AM

I feel a bit regretful that I have to leave a shorter reply for now, but I just wanted to thank you for everything you've shared with me! It did sound like you had a really nice outing with your brother's family (so sweet that he put his arm around his wife!) so it's a bummer that your mom didn't feel the same way or give you the space to share your thoughts on the matter. I'm glad you got your mom to finally listen to what you had to say (and I'm sure this felt cathartic! At least, it does for me whenever I have a disagreement with my dad and he finally hears me out. He can be a bit manipulative and eager to deflect blame, so even if he doesn't necessarily change his ways or apologize to me, I'm glad he's at least listening quietly and taking some of it in). I'm also glad your mom slowly backed down and you were able to hug and reassure her in the end! The fact that she's now gentler and more objective with her words seems to indicate that she really took your feedback into consideration, and I hope she can hold on to your words in the upcoming three months and extend the same grace you've shown her to others. :) Especially since she cares so deeply for you, I'm sure that's how much she values your opinions too, and your family is really fortunate to have you constantly looking out for them and being an ally! ♥

It made me happy to hear about your fulfilling night with your cousins, and it does sound like there's lots to look forward to in the future with possible trips in the works (including Emily!). This really warmed my heart, and it seemed like such a nice way to end the day! ♥

Also, for the record, I don't think your message felt dry or lifeless at all! I enjoyed reading it just as much as your previous travel diaries, so even if you weren't feeling your best, it definitely didn't come through in your writing and willingness to capture the sights and adventures of those two days! You mentioned wanting to be your best around me and others, but I think you're already bringing more than your best self (I know you've mentioned feeling a bit apologetic about how long your travel diaries have been, but I'm honestly really touched by the time and care you spend to put them together and share snapshots of your life with me!). And even when you can't be your best around me, that's totally fine too! I think friendship means being there for each other through our ups and downs, and I'm sure you know this, but I'm always here for you through thick and thin! I'm here to celebrate all your accomplishments, as well as be a shoulder for you to cry on if you ever need it. If anything, I feel incredibly grateful that you've let me into your life and just know that I'm here for the long haul (as long as you'll continue letting me be by your side throughout it all)! ♥

Anyways, I'm off to bed for real this time, but I'm glad you'll be able to take it easy for the rest of the night and I'm wishing you a peaceful and cozy evening ahead!! I hope your headache goes away soon if it hasn't already! Take good care and talk again soon! ♥

uni Apr 19, 12:59 AM

Our timing again!!! You have me beat (for the nth time LOL), but I'm going to read your message and be back with a quick reply before I hop over to bed (well, metaphorically hopping because much like you a couple days ago, I'm also writing this from my bed!). :)

uni Apr 19, 12:57 AM

Good afternoon Sara!! This is going to be another short one, but I know you're reaching the tail end of your trip, so I just wanted to wish you an amazing rest of it!! I hope yesterday ended up being nice and relaxing and you enjoyed drinks and clay pot rice with your cousins! ♥ The Bluemin' and Blooming sightings were too perfect and a nice reminder (coupled with the cells with the bunkbeds in Tai Kwun... as you and your niece would both say, uh oh!! This word always reminds me of you two now LOL. Also, Sara, you can't get caught too because no one else is willing to supply my bail carrots!) that I need to go back on the run after writing this as a quick respite! That reminds me, as you guessed, I definitely laughed at the AUAENA sighting from your travel diary a couple days prior ahaha.

Thank you for thinking of me and my mom with the African tulip tree. :') I had vaguely mulled over whether they were tulips when I first saw your picture but had never seen that variety before, so I'm really glad to know of them now! Truly beautiful. ♥

Also, you are such a trooper for making it through that packed day on just two hours of sleep omg. I could never (as we've established with my dire napping situation as of late LOL)! I've heard about how populated Hong Kong is, but it was fascinating to hear about your own firsthand experience with this, and I'm glad you got to step away from the hustle and bustle for a bit by visiting Lamma Island! I think that's another commonality Korean culture shares with HK, constantly being "on the run" (and not the hazukashii serifu jail variety we're both familiar with LOL) and characterized by a certain sense of urgency, quickly moving on to the next thing without stopping to be fully present (also referred to as 'bali bali' haha). And just like you, I definitely prefer to take things at a slower pace and take my time to stop and smell the roses! Twinning again! The pretty tree, cute flowering bushes, and lotus flowers at the village temple were so colorful and eye-catching too! The view when you were waiting for the sunset at Hong Kong Mountain's top honestly took my breath away and I loved the muted pastel colors! It honestly looked like a painting and I can see why you consider HK's cityscape to be the prettiest in the world!

The coffee shop saying was too true (and will describe me in < 6 hours when I take my first sip of coffee to get started for the day!) and as you expected, I most definitely appreciated the cat mural LOL.

It's so funny because when I first read your message, I had just eaten ramyeon for lunch earlier that day LOL guilty as charged!! Korean people love their ramyeon for sure and I'm glad to see that HK shares the same love for instant noodles. :')

By the way, I read the commentaries on Sayonara Watashi no Cramer you linked, and even with my lack of soccer knowledge, they were easy to follow along with (although I'm definitely missing some context without having watched the anime!), not to mention super educational and fascinating! But above all, it's just lots of fun to hear (read?) you talk/write about something you're passionate about. Your years of both playing and coaching soccer really shine through in the attention to detail and expertise of your writeups, which I feel like are a natural reflection of your love for the sport, so thank you for letting me learn a little more about something so dear to you. :) Homare Sawa's goal was incredible and I was astounded by how it seemed to happen in the blink of an eye! I also hope you got to sleep in after the quarter finals of the Champions League and writing your message to me!! ♥

And you know I'm always here for baby pictures!! Your little niece has one of the cutest smiles I've ever seen and I'm sure she has a way of immediately brightening up any space she finds herself in! Bundle of sunshine indeed. ;___; ♥

I didn't have a chance to mention this earlier, but I stan U is definitely one of my favorites off The Winning too, and I love that you put it on while playing with your niece and singing along with her! Her ID card was adorable LOL her facial expression made me laugh for some reason, what a cutie! Speaking of that album, I also have a soft spot for Love wins all. :') What are your thoughts/favorites on it?

I'm afraid to report that I took two naps again yesterday... and another two today LOL pls send help because this napping situation is spiraling past the point of no return!! My dad is not amused either so he actually wants us to go to Koreatown after I get off work tomorrow to pick up black goat extract because a lot of older Korean people swear by it for low stamina haha. I know herbal medicine can be divisive, but apparently black goat extract helped my grandmother recover after a long period of sickness/fatigue in her 40s/50s, and my dad bought me red ginseng a couple times in the past too to combat my tiredness. I actually think driving is tiring me out more than anything else though because it took me 1h 40m to drive home today! I was absolutely wiped out after that. I have an early start tomorrow at 6:30am for work and I have to draft a few emails before bed to schedule send for 8am, which is why this is a bit shorter (again!) until I have a chance to properly catch up on our messages (and sleep!) this weekend haha.

Speaking of grandmothers, mine is 97 just like yours in HK who dotes on you! My grandmother turns 98 next month, which is kind of amazing haha. Our grandmothers are incredibly strong women (much like you described yours, mine is also strong, independent, and stubborn!), and it warms my heart that you've been able to spend time with her on this trip. :') ♥

Infinite finger hearts to Sara and wishing you lasting memories with family and HK in the remaining two days of your trip!! Sending you all the love and more! ♥

uni Apr 17, 12:34 AM

Hi Sara!! I finally finished grading (but have double the papers to grade tomorrow LOL orz that's a problem for tomorrow's me though!) so I'm back for your message! I loved your running commentary, which almost felt reminiscent of a museum guided tour. :') Again, fanart curator Sara needs to go on the resume (not sure how much public service values this skill but I sure do!). Also, I'm amazed by how strong your grasp is on so many of the characters and their dynamics despite not playing the game yourself LOL. I can definitely see how you being a quick learner and fast to pick things up comes into play here! Sasuga Ms. 2cool4school (you and your niece both!)! Anyways, I'm going to try and hit the hay soon because I'm determined to fix my sleep schedule and escape my perpetual chronic napper arc! I have to do a bit more lesson planning but I teach via Zoom in the morning and usually prefer prepping right before class anyways to wake me up haha. It seemed like things were supposed to slow down for you a little this week, but it also sounds like you've kind of been running on fumes, so I'm glad you've been catching up on sleep and finally have some time for yourself! You deserve it! Thank you for walking me through your morning (and fanart!), which was so thoughtfully written and the perfect way for me to unwind before bed. I'll be back soon enough but I hope you continue to have a relaxing rest of your day and enjoy dinner with your brother and his family later! ♥

PS: I definitely understand why the first picture you linked reminded you of me LOL and I'm dying at it. Timely since I'm still on the run and will most likely be in my dreams too! I've been racking my brain trying to figure out the second one and I'm not sure if it's because I'm a sleepyhead but I can't seem to pinpoint that one LOL. I'm very curious though and regardless it's a beautiful picture and view and I love the flowers! I feel serene just looking at it and am excited for your recap. ♥
PPS: Anyways, good night from me and good (late) afternoon to you Sara!! I guess I won't be like Kanade (not the wailing and whaling one, but as you said, she will very likely be associated with that for me in the near future anyways LOL once a whale, always a whale?!) sleeping at 5am in the fanart you shared LOL I felt called out by it but in the best way and laughed so hard at its accuracy.

uni Apr 16, 8:33 PM

Quickly double commenting because I was rereading my message and realized my wording sounded weird!! When I said step away from my briefer mid-week messages, I meant like not be limited to that length and wishing I could write more freely to my heart's content haha. I blame my sleepyhead on this!! Anyways, sending you all the love for a wonderful Wednesday ahead! ♥

uni Apr 16, 8:12 PM

Hi Sara,

I hope this email finds you well!

This is so embarrassing but in my sleep deprived state and since I've been typing emails all day and write to you in my email drafts sometimes, I was on autopilot and actually started my message to you like this before catching myself LOL. It's kind of funny though so I guess I'll just keep it like this ahahaha.

I hope you've been having a wonderful start to your Wednesday!! ♥ I really wish I could step away from my briefer mid-week messages (there's always so much I'm itching to tell you and reply back to! The only logical explanation is that I need to get good!), but I have a lot of grading to do tonight so I at least wanted to pop in to say hi and wish you a wonderful day ahead! I hope you had fun visiting the island (I'm glad you finally got to sleep in the day before that despite having another early start the following day!), babysitting your niece, and going out to eat some food! I also hope you have a blast at happy hour (the bibimbab-esque clay pot rice you've mentioned sounds delish!) with your cousin's wife later today or tomorrow. It's so kind of her (she truly lives up to "the kind aunt" title you've been calling her to your parents!) to look out for you like that, perhaps on account of her understanding how it feels to be alone and making sure you don't experience that. As always, I loved hearing about all the foods, sights, and conversations you had on the way to and during dim sum! I'll get to everything in due time (pinky promise!!), but the view along the paved path up Tai Mo Shan looked stunning with the greenery and wildflowers, as well as getting to see Hong Kong from afar. :')

I can only imagine your cousin's disappointment when he finds out Sara's friend with the stats programming certificate does not in fact know how to plug things in, push the on button when handling tech, or do basic arithmetic LOLOL. But c'est la vie, I guess!!

My napping situation is rapidly spiraling out of control because I took two naps today!! I definitely seem to be napping enough for both of us! I guess what I said earlier about being somewhat functional on ~4 hours of sleep was a lie haha. I had a bit of an early start today and had to get up at 6:30am for data collection, hence the drowsiness! I wanted to quickly share something with you though. I've been interviewing professors as part of my data collection and trying to keep the dialogue as organic as possible by sharing my own experiences whenever relevant so it feels more conversational and less like an interrogation. Once we wrapped up today, the professor I interviewed told me I'm very wise, which floored me yet again! I'm pretty sure you're the first person who's ever called me that, so it's kind of wild that it happened again so soon LOL. I'm now thoroughly convinced that Sara, Ms. Serendipity, Trendsetter Extraordinaire and CEO of Aria, has an uncanny way of manifesting things into the universe! Sara is too powerful! Ever since we established that a hazukashii serifu a day keeps the doctor away (and as you said, we all need a Miss Expert of Happiness in our lives!), there have been so many instances (I almost said incidents LOL oh no, not that!) that can truly only be chalked up to serendipity, and I couldn't help but muse over the positive influence you've already had on my life. :') my wanted poster for hazukashii serifu jail is hot off the press as we speak so back on the run I go!! As you predicted, I can't escape for long!

Anyways, since I've already gotten this far, I may as well commit to the bit until the very end with my closing salutation LOL. Wishing you the best for what today has in store and talk soon!! ♥

Much love,
Cat

PS: Cat Street 2040? Sara, are you sure we're still not being too optimis- LOL okay I'll stop now!!

PPS: I think your screenshot was a sign brb dropping out of school because a career as a full-time pjsk esports gamer awaits me!! #nocap

uni Apr 14, 10:32 PM

... or I should say good afternoon because it took me so long to write this that it's a completely different time of day for you (and me!) now LOL.

I didn't get a chance to mention this earlier since I'm still catching up to our messages, but I hope you've been doing alright despite not going to Vietnam as originally planned!! I remember when you talked with Lifeguard Friend about his trip and it sounded like you were really looking forward to going too. I've mentioned this before, but it's truly commendable how flexible you've been throughout this trip, constantly keeping in mind everyone's best interests and being accommodating even if that means a change in your own plans. I hope you've been able to enjoy your trip to your heart's content as well (which it seems like you have based on your wonderful travel diaries!). ♥ I just wanted to make sure to check in on you because I feel like another area we're twinning in is our tendency to prioritize others' needs, sometimes/often before our own! That being said, it made me happy that you had another honest conversation with your parents about how you'll do your best at home while they do their best in Hong Kong. I know you and your family are entering some uncharted territory in the near future, but this also feels like an exciting time of new possibilities and growth together as a family. I wish you all the best as you navigate these changes at a pace that feels just right, and I'm sure your support will continue to give your family strength, whether you're physically by their side or not. :')

I can't believe we're already entering the final week of your trip!! Even though you've gotten to do, eat, and see so much, it also feels like the time just flew by (I love how I'm saying that again like I'm the one on the trip LOL but it kind of feels like I've been there in spirit starting from our uncanny timing when you landed to the Snow White, finger hearts, and Cat Street Gallery references you've come across)! Do you have any plans for this week, or will you mostly be playing it by ear and spending time with family? Either way, I hope you have a restorative and fulfilling time ahead of you! ♥

I'm glad the move went smoothly (especially since your brother and his wife hadn't finished packing!) and seeing your niece just chilling in the storage bin like that (she's so small that she fits snugly right in!) was too cute and made me smile a lot. Their new place does look very welcoming and spacious with an assortment of toys for her to choose from! It's also great to hear that your brother and his wife worked together all night, and I'm sure the familial support they received played a big role in this. The successful move seems to set the tone for what's to come in their home. :')

I hope you had a wonderful day exploring HK and eating Cantonese foods with your uncle! I remember you mentioning your changing Chinatown in your New York travel diaries, so I hope you were able to revisit some familiar cuisines while also trying new places on your bucket list. :') The HK and Seoul commonalities you've been bringing up are really fascinating, and I can definitely see them too from what you've shared so far! I also hope you were alright with your early start at 7 AM!! Thanks to your time zone tip (which continues to be a lifesaver!), I noticed there wasn't a whole lot of time between when you sent your message and when your uncle planned to pick you up! I know you've said you don't need a ton of sleep to function, so hopefully you had the energy to power through and make the most of your day. :)

On the topic of sleep, I took three naps last week, which is already one more than the previous week! I blame teaching for this, but I hope to get my napping under control once I settle into more of a routine haha. (Also, no need to feel bad about being less responsive because of your injury!! I think that also coincided with when I started teaching, so it seems like we both had a lot on our plates at the time and needed to get certain things in our lives in order first before we could reconnect, which also feels serendipitous in a way!) I can generally function on ~4 hours of sleep too, but also not really LOL. I feel like I'm perpetually tired, so maybe me entering my chronic napper arc isn't such a bad thing! Quick tangent but during the first year of my PhD program, one of my professors (he's actually the one I took stats programming with later and even offered to write me a letter LOL) taught an 8 AM class and our paths crossed one time in the campus cafe right before for our coffee fix. He told me I was so energetic for that early in the morning, which couldn't have been further from the truth since I'm a total night owl and not a morning person in the least, but it's kind of humorous that I had him fooled for some reason! It also made me smile when you talked about your cousin with a PhD (it warmed my heart that you were able to joke so freely with him and his wife!) and had a chance to mention me in that conversation LOL. I actually haven't opened any stats software in over a year (and I don't mind if it stays that way!) but don't tell your cousin I said that because the less people get exposed to the reality of my tech/math skills, the better ahahaha. I know you had trouble napping after your busy day with your niece earlier last week, but since we both talked about being KOed recently, hopefully you've been able to get some consistent shut eye since then and feel more well-rested! :)

I loved hearing about your night excursion to Temple Street! The pictures felt nostalgic because I don't think I've been to a night market in years (I was supposed to go to one with MBA Friend and a couple others around LNY but it sold out so our plans fell through!) and it's neat that it's so large it got split into two parts! Freshly squeezed guava and Asian pear juice would be amazing right about now omg. Admittedly, despite being a self-proclaimed carrot fanatic, I'm not sure I've had carrot juice before LOL but I'm down to try it and feel like I would enjoy it, or it would grow on me at the very least! As you said, the dai pai dong looked bustling and full of life. :') How fun to see people from all walks of life and parts of the world gathered together for it. It was fascinating to read about the variety of goods sold there, and the lineup of fortune tellers made me chuckle! Also, hopefully you can get some pungent stinky tofu when you have more room in your stomach for it! That was nice of you to get a jade necklace for Lifeguard Friend (great bargaining skills!!). The abundant Miku and Pompompurin (and Sanrio!) put a smile on my face and made me happy to know they reminded you of me. :') I most certainly remember the adorable fanart of Saki and Pompompurin you linked me!! While the fanart itself was too cute, I think a more important reason it brought me joy was because, as you said, it opened the door to us reconnecting and I will forever be grateful for that. :')

I loved hearing about how many of your experiences have overlapped with Vivi's. :') I can imagine how much of a blast it was to listen to her zatsu since so much of it hits close to home! The live commentary with your friend on Discord made me laugh and I think it's funny that we both pointed out a couple of the same things that really are a dead giveaway for our age LOL. The Haagen-Dazs mention was too real, especially Asian parents seeming to think it's the pinnacle of ice cream for some reason ahahaha. My aunt knows I have a sweet tooth and love ice cream so she frequently buys Haagen-Dasz for me because she doesn't believe ice cream can get much better than that, which I find to be a funny but also sweet gesture. :')

You would be an amazing vtuber and you know I would be right there in the figurative front row of each stream flaunting my paid membership! I would happily be there for all your Apex streams too even if I have no idea what's going on and would just be in awe of Sara's Gamer skills the whole time LOL.

I like dim sum for sure, but since I don't really know any better, I usually just defer to my friends when we go out and opt for siu mai, cha siu bao, and/or xiaolongbao haha. As I've mentioned before, I would love to expand my tastes, so if you have any recommendations or favorite types of dim sum, I'm all ears! :')

I definitely remember our early conversations about Ai Otsuka and BoA, as well as Japanese music in general! :') I love how I was mentioned in your conversation and the trajectory from boomed to straight up fossil was hilarious. I remember you mentioning that the only other person you've talked to before about these musicians was an older lady, which made me laugh pretty hard at the time LOL. I guess this isn't our first rodeo when it comes to being boomed!! Motto motto daisuki!! ♥

Actually, I'm glad you (and Vivi!) brought up the HK French Toast again because I had made a mental note to mention it when I got back to your message haha. My HS best friend always teases me because (especially on account of my sweet tooth!) I tend to be pretty basic and always order French Toast or pancakes (and occasionally waffles!) when we go out for brunch, which she considers a waste considering all the yummier food options out there haha. I would love to try HK French Toast someday, as well as tofu fa (and just visit HK in general, even more so now after all you've been sharing in your travel diaries!). :') Also, it's too funny that you were able to pin down Vivi's HK origins even before she mentioned her internship there! Sara's discerning eye strikes again! The clip of her scuff and mic struggles before resorting to her Xbox Live mic was so cute LOL.

Ethiopian dinner was really yummy! However, my two Yelp elite friends said they would rate it a 3 and a 4 respectively haha. I think this was mostly due to the service than anything else, as it took us almost two full hours to get all our food (in their defense, we were a party of 9 and they seemed pretty understaffed!) and when we asked about tofu tibs, the server said they would take a while, so we asked how long and she said she would check for us. However, I think she misunderstood and thought we were actually ordering it instead, so she came back with a full plate half an hour later haha. This seemed like more of a language barrier issue though, which is definitely understandable! I can't remember what we ordered when we went there about a year ago, but I remember liking it even if I wasn't particularly blown away by it. However, it really seemed to hit the spot for me last night because I found it delicious! We got chechebsa with butter and shared a couple meat-and-veggie platters family style. Sadly, even though I was pretty hungry, I couldn't eat as much as I wanted to because the injera was super filling!

I carpooled again with Lawyer Friend for dinner, and she asked me to drive this time because she had spent the day moving furniture to her new house and was exhausted. I was happy to do so (and pretty accustomed to it at this point!) but also a bit worried because there was rain in the forecast and parking near the restaurant can be difficult. When we left, it was only lightly sprinkling, but as soon as we merged on to the freeway, it started pouring so much that my visibility was limited and there were puddles everywhere. Since I couldn't see the lanes or car in front of me super clearly, I made sure to slow down and be cautious, but that doesn't stop aggressive LA drivers from speeding and tailgating! Thankfully, our drive went smoothly and we miraculously found street parking right away across the street. By the time we left, the rain had stopped completely, and Lawyer Friend and I kept commenting that we couldn't believe how peaceful the drive back was compared to the drive there haha. We also listened to IU on the way home, which reminded me of you! Lawyer Friend is fond of her (and eight is her favorite IU song) but only knows a handful of her songs, so she kept asking me to pick the next one. She would have been down to go to IU's concert with me (I'm still holding off on purchasing tickets for now!) but is actually going to be at the Paris Olympics then with her cousin haha. She really travels a lot! I made sure we included Through the Night (your favorite!), Lilac, Blueming, and Coin (little does she know about the gacha backstory behind this choice LOL) in our playlist, among many others. We dropped by a cookie shop on our way home to share a mini pizookie together for dessert and started planning a trip for after I finish my dissertation, which will most likely end up being somewhere in the US. When I dropped her off, she told me "have fun playing your game tonight" (I think we both know which one that is... since there can only be one option after all LOL) in a tone that reminded me of your parents' cute note about not really knowing what an anime or an Aria is ahahaha. Supportive and aware of our interests yet not entirely sure what they are and why they have us so captivated. All in all, it was a nice night. :') As you may remember, I spent most of last weekend at home (where I was supposed to work on my Excel sheet, which definitely did not happen LOL) and sometimes I become too comfortable being alone and get lost in my thoughts. It was a real treat being able to catch up with some friends yesterday and you today! ♥

Also, since I'm still playing catch up to our older messages, what you mentioned about Old Housemate and your first impression of her really reminded me of my first encounter with Teacher Friend haha. I definitely would've felt a bit flustered if I had gotten that kind of response from someone I met for the first time, but it's certainly amusing in hindsight considering how close you two are now and since she also likes Only My Railgun and anime haha. I met Teacher Friend in middle school geometry class (I went to a different middle school from everyone in that friend group but our HS was connected by a track so we took classes there, which is how I met her!) and I could tell she didn't like me at the time LOL (she also confirmed this about a year later when we had already become really good friends in HS!). I'm still not entirely sure why, but she's the one who told me I have a resting content face, so I wonder if that bothered her before she got a chance to know me better haha. She's one of my best friends now, and we even went on a mini road trip to Sedona at the start of the pandemic, but she can be a little snappy at times (especially when tired and/or hungry) so I try to be mindful of her moods! That reminds me, the day before we left on our road trip, I went grocery shopping and asked if she had any snack requests. She wanted some popcorn, and I was happy to oblige. However, we didn't have any time to eat it during our trip, so it sat unopened at the bottom of our ice chest. When we were almost to her home (I dropped her off first since we took my car), I asked if I could quickly open our popcorn box in the ice chest when we got there and grab a couple packs to bring home to my dad. She shot me an annoyed look and said she was tired and not in the mood to sit around and wait for me to take out the popcorn packs since it was almost 1 AM at the time. I was a little taken aback by her bluntness but said no worries and wished her a good night before quickly hopping back into my car and taking off after helping her unload her stuff and watching her go inside. It was a rather unfortunate note to end what was otherwise a really fun and relaxing trip on, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit hurt! However, about half an hour later, she sent me a long text apologizing for her curt behavior earlier and said she had a great time and appreciates me and would drop off the popcorn next time (I said no problem and she's more than welcome to keep it!). Kind of like what happened with Lawyer Friend a couple weeks ago before sushi (yes, this is another one of my "incidents" LOL), I think being able to admit a mistake and apologize for it is a trait worthy of praise, so definitely no hard feelings after that. :) Teacher Friend has been going pretty steady with her boyfriend (he's actually a college friend of MBA Friend and our other HS friend and her husband) and they seem very happy together, which makes me very happy to see! She dated a boy she met while studying abroad during college and they had a picturesque romance that is kind of reminiscent of you and your ex! After they broke up, she wasn't able to find someone else who could make her feel the same way, but it seems like that has finally changed now. :)

Anyways, I'm glad we both resting content face and were able to grow closer to Old Housemate/Teacher Friend over time despite less-than-stellar first impressions. :)

LOL I'm relieved you don't think of me as a picky eater either! I do in fact eat other foods besides carrots, but since you've been forced roped into becoming my accomplice in bail carrots, I will happily accept them as my primary source of nutrition for the foreseeable future. :')

Thank you so much for the kind words!! I'm honestly floored! I've always found my mom to be very wise (my sister concurs!) and this was a trait of hers I've highly admired and wanted to cultivate in myself, so as usual, you said something that means a lot to me without even realizing it. :') (Side note but I like owls a lot because of their association with wisdom and the night haha) Like you've said before, I never want to make it sound like I'm fishing for compliments or anything like that, but you always seem to know exactly the right words I've been wanting to hear and that makes me really happy! I love how we're constantly on the same wavelength and understand each other very well. I want to echo everything you've said because, if anything, I try mirroring/matching other people's energies, so if you find me wise, intelligent, and well-spoken, that's most likely a reflection of what you bring to our conversations. I'm incredibly grateful for how we've co-created this cozy space where we're able to bring out the best in each other! ♥

Actually, when we were both writing to each other and then paused to watch Vivi's stream (like you, I love how we tuned into it at the same time!), I had started writing about my data collection and teaching but then became too distracted by and immersed in the zatsu LOL. I think I've mentioned this before, but when I write to you, I sometimes leave sentences midway and jump all over the place as each shiny new idea pops into my head (my dissertation writing is equally chaotic because I started in the middle of chapter 2 first and then moved on to chapter 3, flip flopping between the two before getting to chapter 1 at the very end haha), so I'll get back to that soon!! This message seems to be shaping up to be a pretty decent length on its own though (still waiting for Le Petit Prince (Cat's Version) to eventually hit the shelves!). :')

I did want to quickly share one small but cute thing that happened last week! My boss brought her dog to work last Thursday, so I was able to meet her for the first time! She's 13 years old and super adorable and gentle. I went to the kitchen to microwave my lunch and my boss was kneeling on the ground trying to nudge her dog into eating food mixed with medicine since she recently had cataract surgery. As soon as I entered the kitchen, her dog left the food and walked over to me and leaned her head on my ankle! My heart melted right away. My boss was surprised and said she doesn't do that to everyone. Apparently her dog is not very fond of men and my boss' wife is Asian, so since her dog can only see through one eye, she wondered if her dog confused me for her wife or found our likeness familiar haha. I started feeling sniffly soon after so I made sure to wash my hands in case my allergies crept up on me, but this instance of pet therapy helped me recharge before my second class later that day!!

uni Apr 13, 1:39 AM

Good (late) afternoon Sara, I hope you've been enjoying your weekend and your brother's move has been going smoothly so far!! ♥

I was writing to you when you messaged me (again, our timing!) but sleep has had me in its clutches all week (maybe I'm entering my chronic napper arc LOL) so if I disappear for a bit, that probably means I succumbed to my drowsiness and will be back with my message on your Sunday haha.

Actually, on second thought, I'm going to leave my reply to a couple things quickly here so at least I have something because I can feel my eyelids getting heavier by the minute haha.

Thank you for sharing Vivi's stream!! I'm listening to it now and love how relaxing it is, as well as how interactive she is with her chat! She's talking about corn now, specifically blue corn and baby corn (she believes the latter is a lie LOL), and I feel like I'm learning a lot haha (she's moved on to discussing soy sauce and tofu and their soybean origins!). So informative! I laughed at the "I can only read in English..." in the title. I learned some Chinese characters in the form of Hanja growing up in Korean school, which was already difficult enough for me despite being super basic and I've forgotten most of it anyways! And awww, I'm glad the lady at the restaurant helped you figure out the bottles of sauce!! I can only imagine what a beast traditional Chinese is compared to simplified. Vivi may have mentioned this earlier (prompting your original comment!), but she's said twice that she likes tofu fa. :') It looks and sounds really yummy! She just shared that she doesn't like durian, which I know you like (me too!!) and your durian ice cream looked delicious (your cousin's wife's comment about needing to stay a safe distance away after you ate it cracked me up and I'm glad you got to wash it down with some fruity gelato afterwards)! Vivi got asked again if she's a boomer LOL okay at this point I'm live commenting as I go along and can probably continue for ages so I'll stop here! Omg wait one last thing, she got asked about the Taiwanese drama adaptation of Hana Yori Dango and said that when she thinks of the franchise, the first thing that comes to mind is Ai Otsuka and Planetarium haha. Last thing, for real! She said she likes carrot soup! Of course I had to include the carrot mention LOL. Her zatsu just ended omg it was so much fun that I ended up listening to it from the time you messaged me until the very end!

This actually reminds me that whenever I listen to the AnHane x Miku/Meiko cover of Pheles now, I always think of hololive vtuber Kanade and how she kept cutely yet confusedly singing along to the "rumor go" line while she FC'd it LOL. Weeks later and that short clip you sent me is still stuck in my head! She's too cute and real with the whaling and wailing! You mentioned keeping your niece away from me, which is honestly super valid and I wholeheartedly concur because we don't want her catching my recently infected whalism LOL. At least not until my laptop stops autocorrecting "while" to "whale"!! Not me getting exposed by autocorrect like this!

All the food you've been sharing has been making my mouth water, and I love the attention to detail and historical/sociocultural context you've been providing, which is fascinating! It also reminds me that food is a universal language while being indicative of a very specific time and place at the same time. :') I'll get to this more in a later message, but it warmed my heart that OT10 was able to reunite for your very special and magical Macau outing! ♥

Since I'm not very well-traveled (to the extent that my non-Korean friends could probably show me around Korea better than I could haha), I've been learning so much through you! You asked what kinds of food I like, and I think my relationship to food is akin to that of traveling, where I love trying new things but rarely make an active effort to do so unless I have a reason, like being dragged out by a friend! I'm also a bit of a cheap date kind of person myself because I always fall back on cheap fast eats as my go-to haha. I'm usually down to try most things though and don't consider myself to be a picky eater! Actually, my aunt always calls me Dae Jang Geum (she was a court lady of the royal kitchen, you may have heard of the famous kdrama based on her life!) because she's apparently amazed by how well I can detect even the smallest ingredient in a meal, but I honestly think she's exaggerating! On the contrary, I see myself as having a pretty basic food palate but I'm sure that will expand as I become more worldly and visit new places. :)

On the topic of food, it was Teacher Friend's birthday yesterday, so we're celebrating tomorrow night at an Ethiopian restaurant! I went there with her and our other HS friend moving to Illinois about a year ago and am excited to go back. :)

Also, your niece's little photoshoot was too cute for words and I love how she was rocking her Minnie pants earlier this week and now her Mickey shoes! Her pose in that picture is so chic too! Queen of facial expressions AND photogenic to boot. :') Her learning "uh oh" from you and making the connection that red food -> DANGER -> uh oh made me smile! I'm assuming it's the same there, but tteokbokki here can get really spicy! Your last picture of her toothy smile peeking out from under her arm like that... I can't! My heart. ;___; You're an amazing photographer and excel at capturing her most candid moments while still accentuating her cuteness! ♥

Hopefully your niece is feeling better now and her fever broke and you don't get sick either! That was kind of you and your mom to take care of her throughout the day, and I'm glad your mom was such a good sport about it too! Since your parents arrived two weeks earlier, I wonder if your mom may have been feeling fatigued by that. Hopefully she can spread out her energy a bit more in the coming three months while your brother steps things up so she feels less weary! It's great you were able to have an honest talk with your mom about this and look out for your dad at the same time so as not to add to his stress. I love how close you and your mom are! ♥ It seems like one of the reasons she may complain to and confide in you as frequently as she does is because that's how well she feels like you understand her. You've mentioned before that your parents are your best friends, and I feel like that really shines through in everything you've shared about them. :')

I was going to comment on your splendid Cat Street Galleries (among many other things!!) but Vivi's stream just ended and my bed is beckoning me (it's been doing that a lot lately LOL), so I'll be back for that next time but just know that it's a feast for my eyes as always and I appreciate it a lot (I'm so sorry about your mobile data running out though LOL). ♥

Anyways, IU and I are cheering you on and wishing you the best with your brother's move!! That's so kind of you to help with it! Hopefully it goes smoothly so you all aren't too tired afterwards and can enjoy the rest of your weekend! ♥

PS: CCS cemented in my brain from a young age that there's no such as mere coincidence, so I'm thoroughly convinced all these connections are instances of serendipity and I love that. :')

PPS: Oops maybe I should've wrapped this in spoilers too LOL. I always think I'm not going to need them at first and then my message ends up being longer than expected, a tale as old as time!

PPPS: Considering how attached she already is to maomao and how much sentimental value she must have placed on it (since it was gifted by her beloved auntie, after all! ♥), I have a feeling it may end up like this someday, truly feeling the love over time. :')

PPPS: You know it's rare when even Miku Friend and Cosplay Friend, certified Disney enjoyers, were taken aback by the Snow White sighting LOL. You're foiling my master plan to indoctrinate the masses to the hazukashii serifu life one person (and store!) at a time! Since we're accomplices in hazukashii serifu jail and exchanging bail carrots, I trust you to keep this secret! I also find it very funny and cute that your parents and I seem to have overlapping taste when it comes to Disney LOL

PPPPS: Wait I actually feel way less sleepy now than I did when I started writing this LOL sasuga Sara message espresso shot!! I'll try to get some shut-eye regardless! Talk soon and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day! ♥

uni Apr 11, 8:11 AM

Hi Sara!!! As always, I just wanted to thank you for your thoughtful messages! Getting to read your back-to-back travel diaries was the perfect way to start my morning and exactly the Sara message espresso shot I needed before embarking on my 1+ hour drive to school. :') I'll be back with a longer reply when I'm less KO'd, but I hope you're able to take it easy for the rest of the night and have a lovely Friday ahead of you!! ♥

PS: Cat Street Gallery, as well as Snow White and Alice in Wonderland sneaking their way into the display case, cracked me up so much LOL it really does feel like I've been there with you in spirit throughout your trip! :)

uni Apr 10, 1:06 AM

uni Apr 9, 12:00 AM

Hi Sara!!! Thank you so much for your messages! I feel honored to have this entry of Sara's travel blog hand delivered to my porch with such care and consideration. :') I still stand by what I said about subscribing to your travel blog in a heartbeat if you started one, as your self-proclaimed number one fan! I would say I'm already off to a pretty strong start as an avid reader of your works, including most notably/recently Le Petit Prince (Sara's Version, still not over how it exceeded size limit LOL).

Seeing your niece joined to the hip with her beloved maomao gives me life!! Your last few days summed up in Discord thumbnails made me laugh LOL. She is such a mood! And honestly same because I'll probably be KO'd momentarily myself haha. My sleep schedule has been kind of out of whack the past two days for some reason, so even though it's Sara reply hours, my bed is rapidly beckoning me and I'm not sure I can resist! I've conked out the past two nights on our couch for 30 minutes to an hour (which is pretty uncharacteristic of me given my napping skill issue!) and my aunt has kindly covered me with a blanket both times haha. Hopefully I can get my sleep schedule back on track tonight and start the day tomorrow feeling refreshed! I hope you were able to get a good night's rest too after your fun and eventful day! ♥

I actually just wrapped up teaching prep a bit ago and somehow my Excel sheet has remained untouched since Saturday LOL why am I so bad at this!! Especially ironic since I teach my students about time management next week (maybe they should be the ones teaching me instead since a third of them already submitted their first assignment days early!). I plan to be back with a proper reply to your travel blog tomorrow (my Tuesday!), as well as your weekend plans before you left (I'm soooo late orz!!) and an update about how my past week has been going. :) I loved hearing about the food you ate, the sights you saw, and the various people you interacted with throughout the day (I'm glad physio went well and you got to bond with your sister in law at her hair salon! Ending the day with your cute little niece felt just right too). Thank you for giving me this sneak peek into your life and day to day, which almost made me feel like I was by your side throughout it all. :') (loved the Blueming mention too!) Much love!! ♥

PS: I nearly posted this to my profile just now LOL why are we two peas in a pod ahahaha

PPS: I know you've been saying you're not a foodie, but you're still one in my eyes!! And not in an elitist way or anything, but because you approach food with such thoughtfulness, an open mind, and genuine enjoyment! MBA Friend and my other HS friend moving to Illinois this summer are both Yelp elites, constantly checking out new places and events and leaving reviews, and I honestly think you could give them a run for their money. :')

uni Apr 7, 4:53 PM

uni Apr 7, 3:41 AM

LOL I'm laughing at me getting ninja'd by you yet again!! As I've said before... Sara is speed! Sadly this isn't Le Petit Prince (Cat's Version) and only half of my 10k word count from earlier! I'm getting rusty and need to practice! Jokes aside, I loved reading your message (and seeing your pictures! your niece is the absolute cutest ♥ I laughed at us both commenting on her cat plush looking oversized next to her LOL) and will be back again soon to write more! But before I leave, I just wanted to mention that I love how everyone in your family is always thinking of and looking out for each other, like it's so heartwarming how your parents are willing to stay in Hong Kong for much longer than anticipated to support your brother and his family and how encouraging you are towards them even if you'll miss them while they're gone. The selflessness you all show each other really touches me.

Anyways, I'm probably off to bed now, but I hope you have a relaxing rest of your night with yummy food cooked from the wet market!! Talk again soon. :)

uni Apr 7, 3:25 AM

I hope had/are having (your time zone tip has really turned out to be a lifesaver for me LOL) a lovely lunch with extended family!! Hopefully you can keep up the habit of waking up early unprompted! I naturally got up at 7 AM today but fell back asleep and cycled back and forth between being awake and asleep until noon when I had to help my dad prepare lunch haha. I remember you mentioning being the one who typically comes up with plans for trips and it sounds like you're quite the foodie too, so I hope you get to explore and try out some of the restaurants and foods you wanted to tonight (and if not tonight, then at some point in your trip!). ♥ It's amazing that your brother was already up and running that early in the morning and I hope you had a nice walk with your parents! Your mom having stolen one of your HS school spirit shirts made me laugh. 86 F + humidity sounds like a lot, so it's smart that you all take advantage of the mornings when it's a bit cooler out!!

It's so cute that your niece loves her cat plush (she must think you're the coolest auntie ever for getting it for her!) and seems very attached to cats in general! I actually didn't know about Claire Luvcat but the videos you linked were adorable and soothing, so your niece and I both discovered something new today. :') I can see why she's probably your favorite animal video channel, and she gained a new subscriber today! The Universe in Cats' Eyes was stunning and enchanting. Also, Tze Huen is such a pretty name!! ♥ I can definitely see how it might sound like Ji Eun when said quickly haha. I'm glad you all had fun at kbbq and the mall!! It's great that you had a chance to talk with your brother and make up for lost time while your niece slept. :') The view from your window looks amazing, but I would also be a bit overwhelmed by being on the 33rd floor!! The harbor and street views were really striking too. Your niece is the cutest little bundle of sunshine ever! ♥ It's amazing that she's so comfortable with restaurant food and it looks like she's living her best life. I can really sense how much you love her, and I'm sure she does too with how warmly she seems to be reciprocating that in spades. :') Her smile by the crane games is priceless!! You know me too well because the Sakura gachapon put a big smile on my face LOL. I love how her fuwafuwa cat plush is almost as big as she is! She holds it with such care and affection too. LOL little Tze Huen is going to grow up to be a Gamer just like her auntie!! Hopefully she can escape the whaling life though! It's funny because I was actually going to joke a while back that you were 2cool4school when you told me about how you were as a student, so I love how that showed up this time around on her clothes! (she's rocking those adorable Minnie pants too!!)

Thank you for sharing all that about your brother! You've mentioned before that your brother and his wife collectively feel like one parent, but I don't think I truly understood what you meant until your message from yesterday. I know postpartum can be challenging for many women to navigate, although I'm not sure if that was the case for your sister-in-law too or if that period of time has already passed. I can definitely understand why it feels a bit confusing for you to observe their more hands-off approach to parenting, especially when your niece is so sweet and lovable! It would be great if your parents could retire soon and spend more time with her, as I can already feel the love from your mom's message you shared earlier and I'm sure your niece would be overjoyed to get more time with her grandparents. :') I'm glad you and your parents still have a great relationship with your brother's wife, and I hope moving out will allow them to approach their own parenting with a fresher perspective. It does seem like an incredibly tough situation for everyone involved, but I'm sure you and your parents being around is helping a lot and I hope this trip will help them find closure with the current chapter of their lives and approach the next one with renewed vigor and hope!

Putting this under a spoiler tag because I'm realizing this message might end up being longer than expected haha. I also worry this might get a little heavy, so I just wanted to say right off the bat that's not my intention at all and I'm doing alright now! ♥ I was going to mention this when I got back to your two-parter, but it seems timely to bring up here! I can definitely empathize with what you're going through because my sister is actually divorced. This happened not too long before my mom was diagnosed with cancer (~8 years ago) and she actually remarried within a year of divorcing (she has four children now, two of whom are her stepchildren, and her current husband was widowed before they married). I know she had a lot of marital troubles with her ex-husband, but my parents have very traditional views on marriage and were not supportive of her divorce. My sister was understandably hurt by this, and as I've mentioned, she has a headstrong personality so she actually didn't invite any of us to her second wedding haha. Even though she can be quite cold-hearted and short-tempered at times, I think she's also extremely sensitive at heart, much like my dad in both regards. I wonder if her divorce and subsequent remarriage explain why she was so distant when our mom was sick, but seeing how she is with our dad now, I think that's just how she is, at least to a certain degree. I've learned to accept that we have vastly different approaches to our relationships with our parents and not hold it against her. When she got divorced, her kids went through a tough time (very understandable) and were attending therapy regularly, but they both seem to be doing much better now and are very active socially and in school, even playing sports and having part-time jobs! My nephew is actually wrapping up his second year of college in a couple months, which absolutely blows my mind LOL. My HS friends are always in shock when I mention this because they still remember the day he was born and always think of him like a baby.

There were many things you mentioned in your previous message that really resonated with me, as I also lived with my sister for a short period of time (I was three when she moved away to college and then got married shortly after graduating!) and she was very rebellious and always had a rather strained relationship with our parents, at least as far back as I can remember. She was actually unhappy when I entered the picture because she loves being the center of attention (this is another area where we differ significantly, as I've always preferred keeping a low profile) and I think she kind of resented having to share that with me, which I could sense from a young age haha. I found her a bit intimidating when I was younger, which is also in part due to how strong-willed she is (she's gotten called bossy a lot at work and complains that if she was a man, she would get praised instead for her leadership skills, and she's on to something there haha), although she's never openly showed hostility to me or anything of the sort. Now that I'm older, I no longer feel intimidated by her and I actually think I understand her perspectives and feelings a lot clearer than ever. I've always been super close to our parents, as well as obedient and openly affectionate to them, and I wonder if she felt like her place in our family was basically usurped by me. Shortly before passing away, my mom told me she believes my sister and I will grow closer and understand each other better with time and that she sincerely hopes this will be the case. I don't want to let her down and genuinely hope for this too. :')

Phew! That was a lot of information, but I just wanted to mention that my sister's divorce seemed to help everyone in her family reach a better place in due time, and I genuinely wish the best for your brother and his wife and child and what they ultimately decide is best for their family. It's great that you've always been on good terms with your brother and have been able to grow even closer with him on more equal standing as adults. :') It's also heartwarming to hear about how much love your parents raised you with, as well as how little Tze Huen is helping unite your family. I totally get why your parents' beautiful relationship (in addition to the ways they've given their all to you and your brother!) has set the bar rather high for you when it comes to dating! We all make mistakes, but the fact that your parents are both willing to acknowledge this and make amends to their best of their abilities is truly something to be praised. I completely understand why this is such a special and meaningful trip for you all. ♥

Actually, reading about your family and giving me the space to reflect on my own helped me understand where my sister is coming from with greater clarity than before, while also encouraging me to work on our relationship. So thank you, again, as always, for helping me realize something about myself and giving me the courage (without even realizing it!) to act on something that will bring me greater fulfillment and joy in the long run. ♥ I appreciate your willingness to open up about feelings or experiences that may not always be easy or pleasant to dwell on, because it gives me the courage to do the same! I'm not sure if this is obvious, but I'm the kind of person who tends to stuff negative feelings and thoughts into a little figurative cabinet in the back of my mind and forget about them for a while haha. Over time, as more and more things get packed into that tiny space, it begins to overflow and can no longer be ignored. Our conversations remind me that I don't necessarily need to fear those things and, on the contrary, there is so much I can gain and learn from facing them head-on. In fact, doing so often gives me a greater appreciation for the world and people around me. :) So thank you for leading by example with your own honesty and bravery, which constantly inspires me to do the same!

One more thing to also end this on a more lighthearted note (hopefully!), but I love how you dote on your little cousin since you can understand her perspective of being the youngest by a lot in the family! Also super cute how her father used to take care of you a lot and buy you new shoes and jerseys, which you've been trying to reciprocate by buying your little cousin Furuba volumes and doing other things for her. :') That's really sweet. My dad is the oldest in his family while my mom was the youngest, so all my cousins on my mom's side are much older than me! The youngest are my sister's age (she's 14 years older than me) while the rest of them are in their 50s. Most of them are still in Chicago and New York too. Since we moved to California when I was three, coupled with the age difference, I've barely interacted with most of them haha. One of my cousins, who lives in Chicago and is the same age as my sister, really stepped up when my mom passed away and has stayed in touch with me and acts very affectionately like an older sister. She's pretty and warmhearted and does a lot of volunteering and charity work, especially for animal shelters, which she's really passionate about. As you can probably tell, I admire her a lot! She's also a single mom and her son is just a few years younger than me, and she's told me she wishes she had done things differently raising him but was so preoccupied just trying to survive and make ends meet. It sounds like her and her son have grown much closer in recent years, which warms my heart to see. A few of my cousins on my mom's side who are moms themselves have a group chat with my sister and without me, which I have no hard feelings about at all because I totally understand and am quite close with my cousins on my dad's side since they're all in SoCal and much closer to me in age!

On that note, my cousin who is expecting a baby boy next month is on my dad's side and the only one in my family who is younger than me, so I cherish her a lot too! However, since we're only three years apart and she's always been super mature, I haven't had many chances to dote on her sadly haha. She's one of my best friends though, and I'll forever be grateful for our relationship. :')

I said phew earlier but I feel the need to repeat that one last time as I wrap this up LOL. Thank you for reading this and sharing about your own family too. I can tell how important family is to us both and I love that so much. ♥

LOL I'm not sure how this worked like logistically but I'm pretty sure we were having an actual conversation in my dream and not just through messages haha. Thankfully, realism goes out the window in dream world and anything and everything is plausible, so I didn't question it! :') I remember being quite engrossed in our talk, so it's nice to see that some things don't change whether I'm dreaming or not! ♥

Awww I've loved hearing about your parents, and they seem like incredibly lovely people, so it feels like an honor that they know about me too. :') My dad and aunt definitely know about you too, I told my dad that one time at the doctor's office when he asked if I was texting a guy and I had to clarify LOL. I also told my aunt a while back (while got autocorrected to whale at first LOL is the world trying to tell me something...) when I was typing furiously one time and she commented on how hard I was working so late at night and I had to confess that I was hardly working ahaha. They're both amazed that we have so much to talk about, and honestly same, but I wouldn't have it any other way! :') (and yes, this aunt is the same one who helps take care of my dad and brought gamjatang both times!)

By the way, since I'm still catching up to some of our messages, I wanted to mention that us twinning with the Nana and CCS Christmas gifs really seals the deal on us being such big dorks LOL. Thank you for sharing that lovely clip from a certain Miss Expert of Happiness, which was a beautiful reminder to appreciate both what has changed and what has stayed the same. :') I still need to tell you how my data collection went (nothing too special to report but I had a really nice conversation!) so I'll probably get back to you about that in the next day or so. I had my first interview + classroom observation on Monday morning, and I had no idea what to expect so my mind was a bit preoccupied by all these thoughts roaming free. At that moment, I started mentally crafting a reply to your message from that weekend while getting ready and it eased my troubles and lifted my spirits right away. :') I had some coffee afterwards and played pjsk music while driving LOL so it was a triple whammy of my favorite things that morning: Sara messages, coffee, and pjsk!! Your messages seemed to be the good luck charm I needed too since I ended up having such an incredibly lovely morning. I know we've mentioned this before, but it's both comforting and reassuring knowing there's someone who genuinely cares about how your day is going and is always willing to listen and also share, so thank you from the bottom of my heart, truly. ♥

This reminds me of when you asked about my coffee preferences in Le Petit Prince (Sara's Version) LOL. I'm actually kind of envious of you for being a black coffee drinker!! I wish that was me! That does make sense though since you've mentioned not having a huge sweet tooth. As for me, as you may have surmised, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum haha. My friends always tease me for drinking cream with coffee instead of coffee with cream! My go-to at cafes is usually a basic vanilla latte. Like you though, the less acidic the better, so I usually opt for darker roasts too! I wish my stomach was stronger so I could handle more but I try not to drink anything with more than two espresso shots a day haha.

I remember you mentioning this in your last message too, but it really is kind of funny that I still pop up here even though I've fallen by the wayside when it comes to anime haha. My main motivation for visiting MAL these days is definitely our messages, which is already reason enough for me to frequent here. :') All that being said though, I don't think my fondness for anime has faltered in the least! It probably helps that pjsk has consumed my thoughts and life to a certain degree and it feels anime-adjacent enough! I'm confident I'll get back to anime (including the Furuba and Aria movies!) more consistently (hopefully after this pesky dissertation is out of the way!) when the timing is right haha.

LOL oh nooooooo!! Evidence of my dorkiness being dispelled actually sounds quite convenient for me LOL but this leads me to a confession... my "Saturday dedicated to data management stuff" did not come to fruition (besides opening an Excel sheet and barely making a dent in it!) so as soon as I sent my congratulatory message, I stepped away from my laptop for a while and got distracted (idek what I did to pass the time LOL but I did play and read some pjsk!). Anyways, all this to say that when I came back to my laptop, I still had your profile open and found my message in pristine condition LOL. So I've got you covered and I guess my dorkiness will forever be immortalized now. :')

First of all, I just wanted to say how happy it made me when you mentioned that Sakura and Tomoyo's friendship is the most me thing you can think of when it comes to anime. :') Their friendship means a lot to me and I feel like it really had a hand in influencing what I look for in anime. Needless to say, all the CCS fanart you sent me was too cuuuuuuuuute!! I honestly can't! I'm scrolling through the Sakura birthday art again with the biggest grin on my face. It's all so gorgeous, but I have a soft spot for the strawberries and the ones where she's wearing her Platinum outfit (love how this keeps coming up in our conversations!). The gifs were super lovely too with the costume changes, and Light/Dark are two of my favorite cards so that one was especially great. :') Seeing Sakura and Syaoran vying for Yukito's affection made me laugh and reminded me how much I loved their natural progression from rivals to friends to lovers. The TRC ones warmed my heart and I loved seeing the wands at the very end!

And of course, Tomoyo chou kawaii!!! Seeing her in megane is always a treat and the Fruits Candy art with Sakura and Kero was adorable! Her outfit with the oversized glasses, braids, and yellow beret is soooo iconic haha. The Sailor Moon x CCS crossover was wonderful too! Especially fitting since Megumi Ogata voices both Haruka and Yukito. :')

I need to circle back to the pjsk April Fools' art one more time LOL and yes I was thinking the exact same thing that we manifested Boooo! and laughed so hard when that cover came out. I'm so used to the MMJ cover that it kind of took me out at first to hear it with male voices, but I love it now and think it fits Toya and Tsukasa's personalities perfectly in spite of (or because of?) how cutesy it is LOL. I'm still not over Haruka in Devil's Manner, and I see that Minori agrees with me here!! She sounded so beautiful in it too. ♥ Actually, this isn't the first time she's been grouped with all guys haha. The same thing happened during the Sanrio collab, but that's because she got paired with Tuxedo Sam (because penguin!) and he's a member of Hapidanbui, which is essentially like a Sanrio boy band haha. It's kind of funny that Haruka gets paired with the boys more than poor Len at this point LOL. Haruka is princely so it checks out. Anyways, thank you for sharing all the April Fools' art with me, it's been a constant stream of joy for me over the past week!!

Speaking of the April Fools' covers, have you listened to Setsuna Trip? It's one of my favorites and I've had it on repeat!! Kanade with the school uniform in it (she's online schooled so this was a sight to behold since she typically just wears her track jacket!) made me do a double take at first because she looked like IA LOL. That and the Kanade art you shared reminded me that I've really grown fonder of her, especially as of late! When I said I was catching up to pjsk stories this weekend, I was actually referring specifically to her focus stories haha. Niigo and WxS are the most popular units in the game (by a lot!) but are also the ones I've read the least from, but I'm trying to make up for lost time now. Kanade definitely seems like the most popular character in the JP fandom, and I was about to say I'm not used to any of my faves being the most popular, but now that I think about it, the general consensus is that Toya is the most popular character in the KR fandom haha. You may have noticed that a lot of Toya fanartists are Korean! I was thinking of skipping out on girl yaoi White Day to save for Colorfes Saki, but at the rate my love for Kanade is growing, I'm not sure I'll have the will power to resist when that time comes!

The other pjsk art you sent me was such a joy too, like all the Colorfes Saki and Tsukasa, Honami and Minori with their respective pups, the girls at the onsen, Ichika looking super cute and cool, idol Shiho, adorable IchiShiho, ZOZOTOWN Toya (I always like how his hair is styled here!), Mizuki and MizuMafu (as well as KanaEna and MizuEna!), precious Colorfes Emu (and TsukaEmu, RuiEmu, EmuNene, and RuiNene!!), Devil's Manner HaruAn, lovely ToyaKoha + AkiAn, stunning ShizuAi, and flustered AkiToya!! The Tsukasa and Minori reenactment of that one image made me laugh LOL a lot of EN fans view them favorably as a brOTP of sorts. The redrawing of the dejected cIchika sticker was too cute as well. Minori and Emu nibbling on Kohane's pigtails made me giggle! Lovely HonaKana and MinoHaru. The VBS one where they all doubted their self-worth at first really got me in the feels!! A lot of pjsk fans used to criticize them for feeling the least OT4 of all the groups and being divided into two pairs, but I personally don't see it that way at all! I think their recent event stories really illustrate how unified they've become as a group, growing closer together through hardships. Colorfes Saki comforting No seek No find Saki also made me emotional! I loved Airi with My Melody, as well as Leo/need reenacting their childhood scene looking up at the stars from the playground!

Your morning fanart was super lovely too, I loved all the Vocaloid and the MizuEna reenactment of the famous magnet cover!!

PS: Last year's April Fools' event in pjsk finally made its way to EN this week and Saki had a line about blooming that made me think of you right away LOL. She was imitating Tsukasa here but I still found it funny. (on the topic of blooming, the Blueming gif from my now-deleted comment seems to follow along with these sentiments LOL). That reminds me (I was going to mention this in a later message but it seems to fit quite nicely here!), a short clip from Saki's Colorfes story got machine translated (fingers crossed it gets a full fan translation soon!!) and I've listened to it many times because of her comforting words about the future, which I thought you might appreciate too. :')

PPS: While going back through the fanart you sent me, I saw and remembered your question about if I ever believed in 11:11 LOL. I used to make wishes to myself whenever I would check the time right at 11:11, and I don't think I've done that since college, but I do still smile to myself whenever that happens! My apartmentmates actually celebrated with me when it turned 11:11 PM on 11/11/11 haha. One of my HS friends also greets me on my birthday every year right on the dot at 11:11 AM, which I find really thoughtful! I think I was born around 7:30 AM (Central Time since I was in Chicago!) though LOL. Do you have any lucky or favorite numbers? :)

PPPS: Ahhhh I didn't even touch your message from last weekend yet and there was so much I wanted to get to from it too. This was supposed to be short and sweet so I could get back to everything else but I obviously failed at that yet again LOL. I'll write again soon, but I wanted to wish you a wonderful rest of your weekend first!! ♥

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