SVong-Along

Inspired by Isabella who was inspired by Adam Kurtz, I've also decided to reflect on the positive parts of the past year. I'm mostly relying on social media/email/the internet to keep track of what I've done. Honorable mentions: Survived an overnight GreyHound ride #NeverAgain Swimming in a pool of 100 million sprinkles (made out of antibacterial plastic) Eating KFC in Kentucky (just a drumstick but hey it counts) Seeing fireflies/lightning bugs for the first time (also in Kentucky, and yes I listened to the Owl City song sometime during the evening) FINALLY playing "Haveeee you met Ted?" [aka introducing my friend to random strangers at bars] Eating an anthropomorphic embodiment of depression (Gudetama @ Curry House) Now to get [somewhat more] serious... 1) Getting my first attorney job Although my job title when I was sworn into the bar in 2016 was "Board Counsel," I technically didn't practice law. Just a few months into 2017, I

Assuming you are a millennial and enjoy reading witty material,  Best, ISABELLA  serves hot content from literally the funniest person I know. Isabella and I met at one of our very first law school events, were in the same section, and she has since been a source of inspiration.  #sepia #memories #WhenWeWereYoung Essentially, you should read her blog because- Her posts are practical:  Need advice on what to put on your resume? Check out Isabella's thoughts on the Skills & Interests section.  Wondering what snacks to keep at your office desk? Here are the best 7 snacks to hoard at your desk . Basically, Isabella is a better, more useful Buzzfeed without the sponsored bullshit.  Her posts are hilarious: Whether it's how to take a photo of a girl when she hands you her iphone, brunch  with Chrissy Teigen, or a list of why LA drivers are honking at you , Isabella's posts contain a healthy dose of humor and sarcasm. We could all use a little more

Pixar takes us into unbelievable worlds of living toys, monsters, and flying houses, yet their movies resonate with relatable characters experiencing a range of human emotions; and that is the secret to their movie magic. (If you can't tell yet, I'm a pretty big fan of Pixar, and if you know anyone who is able to give tours at the HQ in Emeryville plz plz plz ask for a tour and invite me). Their newest film, Coco, keeps this magic and tradition alive by taking us into the world of the dead and Mexican customs while following the struggles of Miguel, who is torn between his passion for music and his music-hating family. While the animations are colorful and visually stunning, the themes of music, family, and culture really make this a memorable movie. Music: For Miguel, music is his passion, how he is able to communicate with others, and a tool to help him form his identity and grow his self-confidence. Pixar is a master at evoking emotions with music, and this is espec

To understand what's on my Christmas wishlist, you need to first understand that I'm the kind of person that is never satisfied with what I have. Being super type-A, (and blood type A+, I mean, positive) I have this "warped thinking" that everything in my life [and the world] could be improved. If I had a limitless amount of money, I'd splurge on the highest thread count bamboo bed-sheets, grandest Stearns & Foster mattress like ones in 5-Star hotel suites, and buy enough lululemon so I wouldn't have to do laundry after every hot yoga class I finish. But I also have insane non-material desires too, like becoming the first Cambodian-American Justice on the California Supreme Court, winning a vacation sweepstakes on Instagram, and finishing the Amazing Race (for the experience and being featured on TV, although I wouldn't turn down a million dollars). (I'd also make Candy Christmas trees in a pop up "instagram museum" and charge people

I am a material person. I like spending money on things, having possessions to call my own, and making sure that I have quality things to ensure that I am truly living. It wasn't until I faced a [mini] life-crisis that I discovered The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up . After finishing the 2016 bar exam, I had less than a week to pack up my apartment and move everything I collected over a 3 year span back to my parents' house. Although I had been gradually moving out, it still took over 3 full days of packing and organizing, and I had to get help from others to take/hold things. I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of clothes and random crap that I accumulated, and decided to turn my life around and avoid more of these unnecessarily stressful situations. Before traveling a month in Asia, I downloaded Marie Kondo's bestseller and delved into the philosophy of "de-cluttering." Basically, you are supposed to put all of your possessions in front of you, touch

Everybody wants to find love, so who better to tell us how than the comedian who plays Tom Haverford on Parks and Rec? (But forreal I have mad respect for Aziz who is making a name for Asian-Americans in the media.) Anyways, I started Modern Romance after hearing good things about it from friends, and was lent a paper copy from my friend Danna (personalized with post-its marking her favorite quotes). Having seen Parks & Rec, Master of None, and Aziz's standup on Netflix, I fully read this in his high-pitched voice (and he even tells you to read certain parts in his voice). His [sometimes annoying] voice represents the voice of a tech-savvy, urban millennial who is navigating the obstacles of dating and relationships in our ever changing society. His book is somewhat selfish as it serves to answer the questions surrounding why he faced difficulties in his own dating life (although a friend in LA told me that someone told them that they saw Aziz walking out of a club with

We've all read seen  clickbait articles about leaving a boring, mundane office job to travel the world and make tons of money. (Unsurprisingly, this article is from Cosmo) But what would actually happen if I quit my job and tried to eat around the world? 1. My parents would yell at me 2. I'd waste essentially my entire higher-ed experience in which I've incurred tons of debt 3. I'd contract some kind of disease, and die. (Since I don't have a rainy day fund/wouldn't have healthcare, and this blog would discontinue because I haven't uploaded my consciousness to a cyborg Steven) Besides death, a few more things keep me at my 9-5: STABILITY While I LOVE travel, there's something nice about always having a place to come home to and a space that is your own. I'm not sure if I could handle the lifestyle where people are able to fit everything in a bag and move with short notice, there's too many things I touch that spark joy : my

Thanks to Facebook memories, I rediscovered this "list challenge" of iconic tourist attractions in California. http://www.listchallenges.com/california-tourist-attractions Back in 2013, I visited 56/100, which surprised me. I thought I'd have 70+ of these spots since I have spent essentially my entire life in California and my parents (mostly my travel-loving mom) have driven me around all over the state. #tbt to when I was so cool in college #handsomeguy  A lot of the spots I hadn't been to were stadiums (my family was not very interested in sports), the Presidential museums, or small towns. Skip forward to 2017,  and I've visited 63/100. That averages to less than 2 new attractions per year since living in Northern California. Granted, this list is technically impossible because some attractions are gone, but this makes me question whether I am really visiting new places as much as I should be (but I also have the competing goal of traveling outside

Like most young professionals (assuming most of you reading this are), I spend a majority of my life at work. More specifically, I sit in an office, which I do feel fortunate to have my own. It wasn't until  my co-worker Kelly (Williams) Dodd said that my office was like a spa when I decided to fully embrace my extreme extra-ness and transform my workplace into a zen, mini-oasis "spa-ffice." My view 8 hours a day Very key: Himalayan pink salt . I have two lamps, and two containers of edible Himalayan salt. I personally believe that the lamps are not only aesthetically pleasing, but purify the air to allow me to breathe more negative ions . It is true because they attract dust which sticks to the salt (which I will not post a picture because it is not aesthetically pleasing, but it is easy to wipe off with a wet napkin.) You may wonder: what does he do with the edible salt? I breathe it of course! With a warm air humidifier : This Vicks humidifier has last

There's lots of problems in the world: we could get blown up by a nuclear missile any day, LA is on fire, and the list goes on and on. Instead of addressing these problems, I chose to shut myself in a sensory deprivation float tank/sleep pod for an hour. I came across a deal on Groupon for a two hour float and massage combo, and thought "treat yo self." First things first: signing the waiver. (Law school has made me so wary of everything in life). I basically agreed that I  may be subject to a claustrophobic experience and that I was in normal health/wouldn't infect their pod, etc. They also made me check off why I was interested in floating: and I selected "reduce muscle soreness" and "decrease stress." I was then taken to my room, where I first saw where I would spend the next hour:  The attendant explained the process: I had to shower, put in silicone earplugs to block water, knock on the door to tell them to start my session, e

Inspired by my 1L bestie's blog, Best, Isabella , I'm making a list of goals, but making over 100 goals was overwhelming, so I'm doing 30 goals before I turn 30. #30GoalsBefore30 Start date: NOW End date: 7/30/2020 Personal: 1) Read 1 book a month - first up, finishing Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari - 7/7 2) Vote in the 2018 Elections, especially for California's Governor - 2/2 3) Organize all of my digital photography and upload to Google Photos 4) Study trivia to apply for Jeopardy 5) Apply for a fellowship/program (in Cambridge? also open the GRE books I bought for $20) Professional: 6) Set up informational interviews with an attorney/professional once a month 7) Apply for a new job with the state when my appointment ends 1/2019 (did this earlier, oops) 8) Become a Board Member of a legal organization 9) Attend a NAPABA National Conference (Chicago in 2018 or Austin in 2019) 10) Make 40 under 40/rising lawyer list 11) Guest lecture in a law school c

What better way to discover  who you really are than paying a large sum of money, spitting in a tube, and waiving all rights to your genetic information? While you can hopefully think of other options, I [impulse] purchased the 23andMe  DNA Testing Kit on Amazon Prime Day (7.11.17), discounted to a price of $99. JetBlue also partnered with Amazon to do a 3X point bonus on Prime Day, so that was more incentive to throw my money away buy things I normally wouldn't. Anyways, I was always curious about what genetic testing entailed, and wondered if it would tell me information about my health that I never knew. Literally one day later, a small box was at my door, containing another small box with colorful chromosomes adorning the bottom border. I read the instructions, created an online account, and agreed that the company could use whatever information they please. (Maybe that's why I'm also ok with posting my results in the public below, might as well release my info b