Farewell to the Auntie Sewing Squad

It has been an honor to be a minion of the Auntie Sewing Squad from 3/31/2020 just a few weeks after the COVID-19 shutdown until 8/15/2021. I can’t put into words what being part of this lovely group of “Aunties,” who gave each other sewing tips, shared supplies, cheered each other on, exercised together, shared in Auntie Care and swag. We had the best logo, branding, and press coverage, all the stickers and buttons and gifts and goodies from banana bread, homemade salve, expired coffee, to ASS honey, while carrying on our lives from behind our sewing machines.

We were so incredibly productive with over 800 of us (likely closer to 1,000) volunteers sewing over 350,000 masks—1,100+ from my little corner (plus another 900 sewn by my friends coordinated out of my short-lived Culver City satellite of the Westside hub), being delivered or shipped all over the country.

Nerd data tracking: I can share that 28% of masks I made for ASS were donated to farm/agricultural workers, 24% to immigrants/low income, 15% to First Nations, 11% APIs, 11% African Americans, 5% Medical workers, 5% day laborers, and 4% unhoused. Geographically, 32% went locally to LA/So. Cal, 27% South, 16% Nor Cal, 11% East Coast, 8% Midwest, 4% unknown, and 3% Northwest. Size wise, 26% Extra Small (younger kids), 16% Small (older kids/teens), 45% Medium and 13% Large/XL (adults).

What I will remember is how much I loved making every single mask, designing and adapting different mask styles and my signature multi-colored reversible split masks, cutting fabric like Tangrams or Tetris to maximize every inch of every scrap of material which is very satisfying, feeding my need for orderliness, the sense of accomplishment with each stack completed, inspiring creativity; and how each piece of colorful or Mom’s vintage fabric brought joy and/or childhood memories to me. I truly received so much fulfillment during the most stressful and isolating time ever in many of our lives as news of the Coronavirus cases and deaths filled my newsfeed, social injustice/unrest/protest, idiocracy/election, and endless hours of Netflix binging played in the background while I sewed. I want to think that hopefully we saved some lives by giving free masks to vulnerable people, essential workers and immunocompromised folks who could not afford or find needed facemasks, especially in the earliest days of the pandemic.

I want to thank organizer/activist/performance artist/writer/politician/influencer/media sensation friend Overlord Kristina Wong who I have known for decades when she was in college, for creating this national effort with amazing intention, responding to every post and insane question via Facebook, running in and out of her home in Koreatown to collect masks and throw supplies into Auntie car windows a gazillion times. Of course I also need to thank and my dear sister friend/API badass arts organizer/Pokemon comrade who I have known since my Great Leap days as an arts administrator Leilani Chan who got me started with, “You want to me to bring you some fabric and elastic?” How many do you want?”

But first I had to find my sewing machine and foot pedal deep in the junk room closet, and it took me hours to sew the first one, and a week to sew the first 8 masks. Things got better, at the peak I was churning out about 30-40 masks every weekend, and cutting fabric during webinar trainings, and sewing from Friday night through Sunday night, then packing up and shopping or delivering to Leilani’s Westside Hub on Mondays often during lunchtime, where I would stock up on more fabric, nose pieces, thread and Auntie care goodies of the week.

While the Aunties are now officially in retirement, we still have things to look forward to—the long awaited upcoming farewell gatherings (I’ll be the middle aged Asian lady in a mask and ASS-branded tshirt), an Auntie-created book "The Auntie Sewing Squad Guide to Mask Making, Radical Care, and Racial Justice,” (edited by academic superheroines to which I contributed a short piece about my mom and seamstress/immigrant grandmas), a short film, and Kristina’s Off-Broadway show still to come.

As for my sewing future, I still have plenty of leftover fabric and supplies and will continue to sew on my own, albeit at a much slower pace—there’s Tony’s 3rd graders I want to sew for, friends and family who need replacement masks, and vulnerable folks who still need free masks.

Love, Auntie Jenni

Memories with Auntie

Auntie Keiko Kuida passed away at the age of 82. She has been present my whole life. From middle school when I was the only person in the family to fit her shoes, I became the happy recipient of her love of shopping, and her generosity, especially shoes, clothes, purses and jewelry.  

When I started working in Inglewood in the 1980s, we would meet for pizza on Fridays. She was an avid bowler, golfer and gambler, who loved the race tracks and Vegas, lover of cats, and was an enthusiastic Tweety Bird, Peanuts, and Beanie Babies collector. When we started carpooling to family gatherings and driving her to doctors appts, at night or long distances, she would show up at our house an hour or two early, sometimes we’d still be sleeping.  

She was a breast cancer survivor, and a fighter. A Nisei, she was born on a canteloupe farm in Canoga Park, incarcerated as a child in Gila River, Arizona during WW2, before moving with her family to the Seinan/Crenshaw area in LA. She attended 6th Avenue School, Foshay Jr High and Dorsey High School. After she retired from the Gas Company where she worked over 30 years, she worked at Eddie Bauer folding clothes and spending way more money than she earned, and also worked for her dear friend Mary at Tak’s Coffee Shop in Crenshaw Square. 

Until the pandemic, she would play cards with her friends Katsu and Fujio every Friday night, and have breakfast with other friends in The Breakfast Club on Saturdays and Sundays, and regular lunches with her friend (over 50 years) Kayko from the Lunch Bunch. Maiya has grown up with her in our lives, with Auntie picking her up from school and afterschool programs, attending her basketball games, Nihon Buyo, karate, taiko and flute performances, and for that I am really happy and grateful.

During the pandemic, I became her shopper both online and in person, and in January she started needing help more and more. On February 3rd, she had another eye surgery, but her troubles breathing quickly took over as she was diagnosed with lung cancer, and I moved my remote work space from my living room to her kitchen, helping her to adapt to make her home safe for walker and wheelchair, dealing with a host of home maintenance issues, and started staying at her home daily for longer and longer hours. We brought in her friend Linda in the afternoons to help with meals and housekeeping as it became too much for me working full time plus. 

After almost a week in the hospital for procedures, I moved in with her March 1st as her primary caregiver and started staying with her weekdays and weeknights about 20 hours a day, with Tony and my siblings Darin and Gayle rotating 24 hour shifts on weekends. A few weeks ago we also brought in our young friend Joanna to help in the mornings as well. UCLA Home Health came in and became our lifeline of support sending nurses Pam, Hannah, Addie, Rebecca, Dr. C, Lillian and Claudia, social worker Luis, and physical therapists Audra and Alecsee who came, called or texted almost daily, who trained me on draining her chest catheter, and taught us about patient care as things progressed and her needs changed. 

Last week I went camping for a couple days of r&r with help from my whole family. The night I came back I called 911 for the 4th and last time since January. Hospice came on Wednesday morning and she passed later that night, at home as she wanted, having talked to and had visits from several close friends and family in her last few weeks.  Grateful to her and my friends, coworkers, family, her doctors, and her neighbors Argentina and Kent for so much support over these last few months. 

Love ❤️ to Auntie.  She will be missed.

Year of the Dragon, that's me!

Year of the Dragon, that's Me!

Year of the Dragon:  Notice the growing out first-time cellophaned, but fading red hair and the grey roots poking out?  See the tiny wrinkles?  Actually, my eyes are open.  I am literally (I can't say literally without thinking of Rob Lowe on Parks and Recreation, a show I am enjoying nightly on Netflix at the moment) serious that my eyes are open in this picture.  Anyways, I am getting a Metro TAP card for the train/bus pass and I needed a picture.  I think that me, Maiya and several coworkers tried to take pictures of me, dozens over the last few days for me to submit, and they all turned out goofy.  This one, has got to be the goofiest, and no, this one won't be on the train pass.

Anyways, as usual, I digress, again.  It is Year of the Dragon, and no, sweet and naive of you to guess that I am 36, but yes, as of today, I am 48 years old.  When I talk about childhood friends, then we start saying, "oh yeah, we've been friends for 40 something years."  Anyways, I'm in much better health than I was at 46 (Blog Post Forty-sicks!) and for that I am extremely grateful.  Grateful to my dear friend Victor Shibata, who passed away earlier this year, who helped me with health and energy issues ranging from fertility to asthma and many other ailments over the last 15 years or so.  I miss you Victor.

Picture taken with the Iha's, a Cuban Japanese family we visited in Cuba in 2001
 (me far left, Tony seated, and Victor far right)

So on my birthday, one of my "wishes" and my "hopes," is that I can stay healthy and be lucky enough to keep watching my beautiful, funny, spunky, smart kid grow up.

Peace, out.
NaBloPoMo12 #2

Ffffforty-seven?

Is that right?  Am I really 47?  I cannot even believe it.  In my mind, college was just a few years ago, but no.  I must be getting old, because freakin' DAVID BOWIE was on the oldies radio station K-Earth 101 the other day.  Serious.

Took a birthday holiday from work today.  I should have stayed home and cleaned our messy house, or done some of the work I brought home to do, but it was a crazy busy day.  We left 25 minutes early today so that Maiya and I could participate in Walk n Roll Wednesday, that is walking (or scootering/skating/skateboarding/biking) part of the way to school with a group of about 25 kids and parents from Maiya's school.  I think it's going to be a monthly thing--trying to encourage parents to use alternate transportation to get the kids to school.

Went to a parent meeting at school in the morning (my first time, it was interesting), then went to get a Thai massage, had a nice lunch (Veggie sandwich, bionico and fresh beet/spinach/carrot/apple juice), and then went to see my eye doctor, who has been telling me for years about how droopy my eyelids are getting, and how it affects my ability to see more each year.

After that, I went to pick up Maiya from school.  She's taking a traditional Japanese dance class on Wednesdays, and I haven't ever been able to see the class.  Luckily, I got there and was able to catch the last 10 minutes of class.  Then, since it's my bday, we stopped at the local neighborhood coffee shop, and I got a yummy chocolate/caramel/coffee drink.

When we got home, Maiya and I proceeded to have a pretty rough afternoon, which started with us getting out of the car, continuing through and beyond homework time.  She can push my buttons like no one else.  I know that she is embarrassed and wouldn't want me to write in detail about just how terrible it was.  I'll just say that she was whiny, cranky, demanding, disrespectful, and we had a pretty miserable time.  She pushed me to to my limit, not my finest hour as a parent, and I had to get out and take a long walk around the block.  I came back home, and since I wasn't ready to go back in the house, I took down all the Halloween decorations.  When I went back in the house, I found this note on the computer:

Dera Mom 

I no I made you angare 

but do you fugiv me dust rit me a leter. 

Love Maiya

I wrote her this on a 3x5 card and handed it to her up in her bunk bed, where she was still sulking.

Dear Maiya. 

You are my daughter and I love you. 

I am sorry, too. 

Love Mommy

A little later, she came down and asked me if I forgave her, yes or no, then brought me her bag of Halloween goodies and said, "since it's your birthday, you can pick one candy."  An hour after that, we went to dinner with Tony, who napped through our bickering.  By shower time and an early bedtime, things were back to normal.

Today, I am 47.  There is a lot of stuff going on in the world...in Oakland, for one, and important stuff that maybe I should be blogging about, but I'll tell you this, I may have gotten a few more gray hairs this afternoon.  

Peace.  Out. (NaBloPoMo#2).

Just in time--for health (#24)

So, I've been dealing with asthma since the end of August.  I used to have it when I was a kid.  It seems like I always had some form of exercise-induced asthma during my lifetime.  But in the past few years it has emerged every time after having a cold, which tends to drag on way too long.  This time, it has stayed around for almost 3 months.  I went to my doctor a couple of times and was prescribed two inhalers, given Prednisone, which didn't work, and then when I had to keep coming in for treatments and getting new medications, I got a nebulizer which helped.  But I wanted to wean off the nebulizer when it seemed like I was getting it under control.  But the coughing attacks, phlegm and wheezing didn't end.  I was still taking the daily inhaler, and the "emergency" inhaler several times a day and I don't know how many bags of cough drops I have gone through in the past few months.

I started going back to yoga after a 5 year break.  While I don't have energy to do the treadmill right now, a beginner Hatha class at the Y, I can handle.  After a bad week, I emailed my doctor again asking some questions and looking for advice.  Her suggestion was to do another round of steroids and switch to a different asthma medication.  More of the same, which hasn't really helped.  That did it.

Finally, a week ago, I went back to see my friend Victor Shibata, an amazing chiropractor and healer who does energetic work.  He has always been able to help... my back, allergies, the many times I have been unable to move my neck or head, when I wanted to get pregnant, when I was low on energy, when I had a bad cold, when my sciatica was out, when asthma kicked in... combining chiropractic with ART, autonomic response testing, which is a pretty interesting.

He does sort of a nutritional analysis and is able to pinpoint what is going on with some pretty mind-boggling precision.    He has been able to diagnose issues with thyroid, digestion and heavy metals such as lead and aluminum.  When we were in Cuba ten years ago and I was suffering from hammer to the head headaches from the heat and humidity, he did acupuncture and cleared it up.

I had a feeling Victor would tell me to cut back on my wheat.  Years ago, and I can't remember what for, he took me off of wheat.  My symptoms went away, and I felt much lighter, more energy, more focused.  And when I was better, I asked if I could go back to my beloved pastas and breads.  He said if you're feeling better why would you?  But of course, I did.

This time, he took me off not only wheat, but sugar as well.  I was expecting the wheat, I had been cutting back on pastas and breads as well as dairy products to reduce the phlegm.  No wheat AND sugar?  Just in time for the holidays.  While I do like licorice and an occasional sweet, muffin or donut, I do eat pretty healthy most of the time, eating a lot of salads and not a lot of junk food.  But of course now that it is off limits, it is everywhere and I am craving it big time.

In addition, he gave me instructions to drink 70 ounces of water a day (when I usually drink about 7 ounces a day if I'm not paying attention).  Not only that, but I am drinking water with INTENTION asking it to heal my lungs, actually my left lung to be exact, and to help me be healthier.  He also gave me occipital therapy, little accupunture pins to put in my ears, which he has me going in every 2-3 days to replace.  He also gave me vitamin supplements for my lungs, kidneys, liver (which showed weaknesses affecting my central nervous system), and 21 Vitamin B supplements a day, since apparently stress is depleting my Vitamin B (I have stress?  Really?).

While the dietary restrictions are not easy, living with asthma sucks and I am ready to move on.  So, definitely something I am willing to try.  I went back to Victor yesterday, while I am still having a lot of coughing and wheezing especially at night and in the mornings, I am feeling a little better.  He did some energy work to help me breathe better, a bit of acupuncture to open up my chest and lungs, got me to breathe from the diaphragm instead of the chest, and reminded me about stress and emotions being the root cause of my asthma and breathing issues.

So, watch me this Thanksgiving.  I won't be eating any stuffing or gravy rolls or pies or cookies or junkies.  But, I am grateful for this gluten-free life and thankful for the chance to work on making things better for me, my family, and the community.

NaBloPoMo#24

School-age Maiya (#8)

Kindergarten Photo 2010 *Age 5 1/2

For the past five years, I've been working in the Early Childhood Education field, actually as I write this, I realize that yesterday was my 5 year anniversary at work.  As Maiya grew from infant to toddler to preschooler, I've followed the development of her learning as I learned about child development through my work at LTSC and developed my own philosophy of the kind of parenting I wanted to practice.  The term "school-age children" was always something that was beyond me and my knowledge.  I didn't need to know it for work (other than generally), and I wasn't there yet at home.

But all of a sudden, Maiya has started Kindergarten.  So we have been adjusting to things like homework, adjusting to 3 separate programs, including morning program and after school program, getting there on time and beating the gates as they close, learning how to read, write, speak, understand and pronounce Japanese, going through the 10 step program to become a parent volunteer in the classroom AND the school, starting Nihon Buyo dance class, starting JA basketball, and meeting new classmates, teammates and their parents.

There's a lot going on for this little girl and while she's doing well in school and is enjoying Japanese, new friends and homework, her emotions have been pretty intense and a challenge.  For me, a big change is that I am now driving in to work alone.  After carpooling with Maiya for 5 years into Little Tokyo, our radius has now shifted, with most of Maiya's activities being centered west of where we have been, and both Tony and I working downtown.  And while we were able to remain relatively active in the JA community and as activists with Maiya the baby, toddler and preschooler, I can definitely see why there aren't a lot of people our age (and younger) with children who are able to remain active in the community.  It wasn't that hard when she was coming with me to Jtown every day, but now we have to make much more of an effort to stay active.

Well, now I think I'm rambling, and I don't know exactly what I'm saying here, but my baby is growing up, and things are changing.

Here's a life-size drawing of Maiya that we did 

when she was 'Person of the Week' recently.  

NaBloPoMo#8.

Forty-Sicks! (#2)

I wrote "Forty-Sicks!" on my Facebook status today.  A few people thought I meant forty sucks.  Except that I am not 40, I am now, 46!  Can't even believe it.  The bummer is that I spent my 46th birthday at home with what I think was a quick and mild flu?  Had a fever the night before, then a bit of vomit.  Haven't eaten anything since yesterday at lunch... I vomited my liquid breakfast (3 juiced oranges) and had been feeling nauseous and weak.  Anyways, sick is not a good way to spend your birthday.

In addition, I've been living with asthma since the end of August and it's been a real drag what with all the coughing, wheezing, phlegm and difficulty breathing going on.  Going to make some time to do my annual self-care birthday gift to myself coming soon to a spa or Thai massage!  Well, right now I am vowing to make my 47th year a healthier one.

Oh, which reminds me of a story, I was at Rockett (5) & Zoe's (4) birthday this weekend and a woman asked me if I was Rockett's grandma!  Which is not that bad really, I mean I have friends my age and younger who are grandparents, so it's not inconceivable, but then that would make me Steve or Leslie's mom, and that is just not cool!  Well, I mean it would be cool to be the mom of such great people, I would be lucky if Maiya turned out to be like Leslie or Steve, but really, do I look like I could be either of their parents.  Please.

Steve and Leslie with Rockett & Zoe on the left

Ok, well anyways, hoping to change Forty-Six to Forty Lucky Seven in the next year!  NaBloPoMo#2.

30 Days, 30 Blogs (#30)

Here it is folks, 30 days of posts for National Blog Posting Month, November 2009. Checking off my "To Do" List. As if I didn't already have enough to do in my life. So done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• Jenni's Garden 2009
• Nisei Week Community Ondo 09
• Buy Nothing Today #27
• Turkey Day #26
• Back to 2 1/2 Months (#25)
• Nisei Week Parade 09 (#24)
• Family (Literacy) Fun Night (#23)
• Picture Needing No Caption Other than 36 Weeks
• Four Hours of Ping-Pong (#21)
• Happy Leela Day (#20)
• My awkward relationship with sports (#19)
• Saying Goodbye to Val
• We Can. We Will. (NBPM#17)
• Maiya's First Trip to Universal (#16)
• More Photo Booth craziness
• Home Improvement: DIY Bathroom
• Maiya & Devin
• Rocking the Red Carpet
• 190 Years Young
• Rockclimbing fun for Kyle's Bday
• Grace's trip to LA
• R & Z's Bday
• Walking the HomeWalk
• Gasa Mama starts the day with Family Literacy
• More Halloween Fun
• Local Election Results
• Election Day & Nishi Halloween
• 45
• Halloween Prep 09 - Part 1

Jenni's Garden 2009

NaBloPoMo#29. Sharing some photos from our Spring/Summer 2009 garden at the new house. I didn't do a good job of prepping the soil, I just bought some small potted veggies and put them in the ground. So, the garden this year did ok, some plants died, and others only produced 2-3 things before blight and other things became a problem, and it just wasn't the bountiful garden that I had hoped for. It might take a few years to get the soil to be really nice. Anyways, here are the photos.

At far right was a ficus tree we took out. The stump is still there,

so I put some potted cactusand planted some succulents--April 18.

Best Boy and Momotaro tomatoes

(Momotaros died early on and replaced with Heirlooms)

Maiya helping water some peppers and cilantro

Took out some lily bulbs and put in squash and Japanese cucumbers

Aww, the first flowers are the prettiest--May 1

First zucchini, early morning harvest--May 24th

Better Boy - June 6th

Cucumbers started well, but only produced 3 cukes

Had a lot of nice zucchinis until the fusilium wilt set in

Still lots of tomatoes--July 28

Picture Needing No Caption Other than 36 Weeks

January, 2005. NaBloPoMo Catch Up Day#22

My awkward relationship with sports (#19)

I never learned to like sports. I was afraid of most sports, especially those where people might be watching you (goes back to being a shy kid), and those where you might need coordination or skill or muscles or to have a competitive bone in your body. That's why I like the gym, cause you can read a book, listen to music, and no one's really watching you.

I have memories of elementary school where I was excused at the beginning of the year for being afraid to play socco (and my excuse was that I didn't know how to play), and then at the end of the year being yelled at by my 4th grade teacher because I said I still didn't know how to play (same lame excuse). I have memories of 6th grade softball and praying for dear life that no one hit the ball into far center field, and if it did, I would hope that it would veer more to the right or left so someone would come help me out and the disappointment at me when I would be chasing after a ball and not being able to catch or throw it... being consistently the last picked when setting up teams, to all the kids coming way in, when my dreaded turn at bat came up.

In middle school, my sister and brother would go outside in the morning to play and then come back at dark. I would sit upstairs in my room reading a book and hearing all the neighborhood kids play in the street. I would go to my sister, brother and friend's softball and soccer games, but never had any interest myself.

In high school, I was on the gymnastics team, but don't you know that I never competed, because after 8 or so years in the sport, I could not do the basic competitive skills in the routines, back hip circle, roundoff to back handspring, backroll to handstand, really pathetic if you are going to be a gymnast.

In college, I took racquetball, and liked it until I sprained my ankle... I never tried it again. I took a golf class, and also body conditioning. My family and friends skiied Mammoth together for years, and although I enjoyed skiing a lot, and braved the Cornice Bowl countless times, I was afraid of moguls, and honestly my favorite part of skiing was coming in for hot cocoa, and lunch, and coming back to hangout and chill with friends and family.

After college, my group of friends would take biking trips. I actually had a weekend job working at the YMCA taking inner city kids mountain biking, but my job was to always stay at the back to stay with the stragglers, but really I couldn't keep up with anyone except the kids at the very end. I got good at fixing flat tires of the kids who got left behind. As a mountain biker I was slow, but steady, likening myself with the tortoise who wins the race.

All that said, Maiya is lucky that Tony excelled in basketball, football, baseball and sportsmanship. And, here are some pictures of Maiya's first day at basketball clinic at the Y. They covered dribbling, shooting, and defense. She was pretty good at hitting the basket. And although a little tentative, she tried her best and had fun. So far so good!

NaBloPoMo#19

45

How the heck did 45 come so quick? Man, it is hump year... halfway between 40 and 50! For my birthday, went to Green Peas for dinner and then got my favorite dessert, and Organic Red Velvet Cake from Wood Cafe. Yum.

and there is NaBloPoMo#2!

Jenni's Journey on the Bike Marathon 2009

We did it! I can't believe I was able to complete the LA Bike Tour/Marathon on Monday, Memorial Day. The last two years I participated in the 5K Walk/Run with Maiya. Last year she was happily riding in the stroller for the first mile, but then got hungry, bored, cranky and vascillating between wanting to push the stroller, but not being able to push it straight, but being too tired to walk. On top of that, I had the flu, and turned out to have a high fever later that day.

This year I wanted to try the Bike Marathon. Having spent much of my 20s mountain biking, I wondered if I could do it, considering I hadn't been on my bike in over 15 years. My mountain bike was in too poor a condition to ride, but my husband Tony offered to give me his dad Larry's comfort bike--Larry passed away in February, so wouldn't be needing his bike anymore. Only problem is that it was up at his house in Crestline near Lake Arrowhead, and we hadn't had time to pick it up.

In the meantime, Nobuko began calling me urging me to begin training. My "training" consisted of inconsistent stretching, and 3 trips to to the gym to ride the stationary bike for 15 minutes each. During those gym practice rides, my knees and hip would hurt and I would never even break a sweat. My friend Lily joked that I would do anything to help raise money for Great Leap. She's right.

Then, on Saturday, 2 days before the ride, we woke up early and drove up to the mountains to pick up Larry's bike. On Sunday, the day before the ride, Tony pumped up the tires and set the bike out for me to take a test run. I took off down the street, going 3 long blocks, and back home... maybe 15 minutes. When I came back, I was wheezing and tired. I wondered out loud how many miles it was to the end of the block and back. Tony groaned. He had promised to ride with me, but I could see him dreading the ride.

Anyways, come Monday morning, Memorial Day, Tony and I woke up at 3:30 am, a mere 3 1/2 hours after going to sleep. As I got dressed in the middle of the night, I was a little bit excited, but pretty nervous. We left the house about 4:15 am, Tony had a tunafish sandwich, but I couldn't even think about food.

We arrived at Senshin Buddhist Temple, meeting 8 others from Great Leap who would be riding with us. We rode quietly and slowly in the dark from Senshin over to Exposition Park. When we arrived, I couldn't believe it. With bright lights blaring, we watched as 10,000 riders were lining up to start. We started about 5:10 am.
The first 2 miles down Exposition Park were crowded, with bike traffic causing us to ride slowly, although it seemed like it was downhill. Not expending much energy, I felt pretty good. As we weaved through Leimert Park, it started getting light out. We went through several residential areas, and I said a silent good morning to Ayako, Reverend Mas and Victor, who live in the neighborhood.

Heading North on Crenshaw, the bikers were thinning out. We hit our first big hill at the freeway overpass. As many times as I've been on Crenshaw, I never realized what a big hill it was. We actually went as far as Fairfax and La Cienega, and passed the Kidney Dialysis Center and one of the many hospitals that Larry was at last year. I got a little emotional thinking about how I was riding on his bike and dedicated the ride in his memory.

We did stop once, I think it was Olympic or Third, about halfway through the ride. Shortly after, we headed back, up through Hancock Park and then Koreatown. We rode past Tony's old school where he taught 3rd and 4th grade for several years, and then rode through the area where I lived until I was 3 months old.

Unfortunately, we got misrouted for a few blocks when a man was painting the LA Marathon logo on the street and was sending everyone down an unpaved street and into traffic. After a few blocks, we got back on the right path. Finally, as we headed south on Vermont Avenue and back to USC, I felt the cool air rushing through my shoes, and I realized we were almost there.

22 miles, in about 2 1/2 hours and we finished just after 7:30 am. Aside from a pretty sore butt, I felt pretty good. Tony had been joking that we would be on a date... but it was really nice to spend time with my hubby on the ride. Afterwards we went to breakfast near our house, and then went home to take a bubble bath and a nap.

Thank you to all who generously sponsored us, made pledges and gave moral support. I hope to do it again next year!

Jenni

P.S. It's not too late to sponsor us with a check payable to Great Leap. Email me or leave a comment and I'll give you details.

Reminiscing with Ladan E. (#18)

Maiya and I met Ladan for dinner tonight at Zip Fusion Sushi. What a trip to see a good friend from 26, yes my young friends, 26 years ago. And no, we weren't childhood friends, we actually met back in 1982, our first days in college. Ladan and Takae lived across the hall from me and my roommate Maura. We had a lot of fun in those days, hanging out, studying together, eating bad dorm food, dancing to new wave and punk music, shopping at Express, going to Penguin's for frozen yogurt, Tommies for chiliburgers, and really, growing up together. Then 2 years in the dorms, we lived in the same apartment building for awhile.

We figured out that it has been 21 years since we've seen each other, many moons ago. It's so hard where to start when you haven't seen someone in that long. It's like, "Ok, so fill me in on the last TWO decades of your life!" and "Oh! I ran into so and so, oh gosh I guess it was like 10 years ago." It's also interesting to be having a grown up conversation with someone who remembers you as a naive 17 year old. But it was easy to pick up almost where we left off and joke around. Neither of us is the same person we were back then, a lot of water has passed under the bridge, but yet the essence of who we are deep down inside never really changes, does it?

Note to Ladan: It was so awesome to see you. Let's not wait another 20 years before we get together again. When I got home, I pulled out an old photo album that is falling apart, and found 3 photos of us. I'll try to scan them and get them to you. The 2nd photo of you above, was taken by Maiya. Jenni :)

My Birthday Wish (#2)

Man, I keep thinking that I'm 40, but really as of today, I am 44 years old, born in the same year as Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin. I told Maiya the other day, "You know how you're almost 4? Well I'm almost 44!" She said, "Oh, wow." I still feel 30 and some might say that I look it, although less and less, as I see more and more gray hairs every day. I'm not the skinny mini of my college days, and I seem to injure myself at the gym with some regularity. Anyways, happy 44th to me. You know what I want for my birthday, don't you?

No on 8. Donations to Great Leap. Vote for Barack Obama in 2 days. Not asking for a lot, but asking for everything.



NaBloPoMo#2.

Prom Story - 1984

NaBloPoMo#21: I didn't actually go to my own prom back in high school. I had asked someone from my church (I was a Southern Baptist at the time) who turned me down, who later turned out to be gay, but neither of us knew it at the time. Well, maybe he did, but he didn't come out till many years later.

When I was in my 2nd year in college I met a younger man. He was a high school senior who picked me up at my cousin's church dance in Boyle Heights and we dated a few times before he invited me to his prom. He was the first JA guy that I ever dated.

I was so excited. My mom and I went dress shopping at the mall (it was a size 3!). I bought nail polish and corsages that matched my dress perfectly. I had our names engraved on wine glasses, and even tied matching bows on the glasses. My of-age roommate bought us a bottle of champagne.

The prom itself was not as exciting. It was in a hotel downtown and we didn't spend much time there, because he and his friends had gotten a cheap motel room on the beach in Santa Monica for the "after-party." Those motels are long gone. I recall he was doing drugs in the bathroom with others and he wasn't speaking to me, while I hung out with his best friend's date, who like me, didn't really drink or smoke.

He dumped me after the prom without explanation. I recall leaving messages for him asking for the pictures, but never heard back from him. But it's a small world. Ten years later, I was working at a law firm, and my coworker turned out to be dating one of his friends. I think she had asked me to review his resume since he was looking for work in a law firm or something like that. I tell you the JA world is very small. The funny thing is that she told her boyfriend, and somehow his mom found out and made him give me the photos.

Talking about it being a small world, it also turns out that Tony who I didn't meet until 1995, was at the same high school and was actually at that prom. So, here's my prom photo above, Prom 1984. Now show me yours (if you dare)!

Forty-3?

NaBloPoMo #2: Today I am 43 (years). Maiya is 33 (months). If I live to be 90, then I am not even halfway through my life. Anyways, I'm kind of liking the idea of blogging every day. I have lots of things to say. Today I took my birthday holiday off from work. Maiya loves being home. She's watching "Chicken Little" for the umteenth time and watched the entire H.R. Puf N Stuf DVD this morning while I was blogsurfing. I know, I know. Bad Mama.

Things I Should Do Today:

• Trader Joe's (no food in house)
• Laundry (it's already in the machine)
• Car Wash (it's bcoming a hazard since I can't hardly see out the back window it's so dirty)
• Get gas (before we run out)
  
• Lulu's Natural Juice Fountain (I promised to take Maiya Wednesday but she fell asleep in the car so I went home and cut her nails instead)
• Study for my class (ha ha ha ha ha! No!)
• Go to the library (need to get Concept books for my next Book Bring assignment)
  
• Read "Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason" (we're going to an Alfie Kohn Salon on Sunday with the West LA Attachment Parenting group)
• Costco (haven't printed photos since August)
• Workout at the Y (check. Went last night!)
• Go to Korean Spa (I usually try to go during my birthday week)
• Order San Jose Taiko concert tickets for my Darin's bday present (meant to go to the box office but forgot)
• Go to Lakeshore (to buy supplies for our infant/toddler program)

Well, I'll be lucky if I make it to Trader Joe's, dance with Maiya and finish a few loads of laundry. We're going to see Mike & Laura and the kids tonight, take our first trip to Pump it Up for my nephew Kyle's bday tomorrow (hope Maiya changes her mind on the socks required issue or she can't join in). Now Maiya is walking around with my new iPod Nano watching Sesame Street. Oh remind me to blog about Mother's Club-went to see their new all eco-green Family Learning Center in Pasadena - it was awesome and the possibilities are mind-boggling. Life is good. Two down, 28 days to go.

Meme... Again

I always do these things when I'm procrastinating. Right now, it's Rainbow Jello time and Maiya's napping. 1. Do you have a college degree? Yes. It was a B.S. in Business with an emphasis in Human Resources. 20 years later, I took my first class in Early Childhood Education, and will probably take another in the Spring. 2. What was the amount of your last electric bill? Probably about $130, but that includes trash pickup and sewage, and is for two months. 3. How many hours per week do you have to work? Well, I work 32 hours a week officially that I get paid for, and I am also a full time mom and wife. 4. Have you ever attended a Toastmasters evening? I don't think so. But it rings a bell, maybe I did 15-20 years ago? 5. Favorite place to attend Happy Hour? None. But last week, the day our work audit was completed, I went with a group of folks to my first happy hour since college. Since I don't drink, I had a clear soda. If Maiya hadn't been home sick with Tony, I wouldn't have been able to go. 6. How many miles is your commute to work each day (one way)? About 15 miles each way. Which can mean 40-60 minutes on most days. If it's after 10pm, I can do it in 25-30. If it's a bad traffic day, it can be 1 1/2 hours. 7. What time do you get up every morning? I usually get out of bed by 7:30 or 8 am. But Maiya often wakes me up between 5am and 6:30 am, and lately it's been every day that she's up. When she sits up and starts playing with her stuffed animals I ignore her and go back to sleep. If she puts a book in my face, then I have to read it. Luckily, I've memorized many of her books and I can recite them without putting on my glasses. 8. What is your definition of sleeping in late? Every now and again, I can get Tony to wake up and take Maiya to breakfast and I will go back to sleep until 9 or 9:30, but that's maybe once a month or less. Generally I haven't slept more than 6-7 hours straight in over 2 years, so I don't really sleep in late. When I was pregnant, I was either insomniac or I would sleep till 10am or 11am (even on work days!) 9. Have you found any gray hairs? Please, they're everywhere. 10. Do you check your cholesterol on a yearly basis? Hmm, no I don't think so. I think they did it when I got life insurance, and it was really good. 11. How large was your first cellular phone? Pretty big, but not one of those foot-long ones that my friends had. 12. Does your employer provide good health insurance? Well, I don't consider HMOs to be good health insurance. In fact, I don't think good health insurance exists these days, unless maybe in Canada or Cuba or other countries where it is free. My HMO coverage is through Tony's. 13. Did you use the internet to write a research paper back in the old days of high school? Please. I did not get my first computer until 4 years ago and it's the same one we have now. I didn't even have a typewriter until my senior year in college. In college, I used to go to the library and put quarters in every 15 minutes in the pay typewriters, or I would go to work to do my papers. 14. Have you ever heard of the internet sensation... or visited? Huh? 15. Have you attended a high school reunion? Yes, my 20th. I saw the guy I had a crush on and I told him. I asked him if he remembered me and he said, "Uh, yeah." I wasn't convinced he actually did, but he did give me a hug and introduced me to his wife who was very nice. 16. How many jobs have you held in your professional career? 6. That's 6 jobs in 25 years. They have all been professional administrative jobs since I was 16. Most of my jobs have been long-term relationships. 17. Have you ever been fired or laid off from a job? Nope. 18. What is your favorite drink? I don't have one, but I like blueberry soda from Trader Joe's and Martinelli's. 19. What is the most expensive bottle of wine that you have in your residence? We don't drink, but Tony bought a bottle of $2 buck Chuck recently to use for cooking. And our new kitchen has 4 slots for a wine rack, but it's got mostly sparkling sodas in it. 20. Have you been divorced? Nope. 21. How old were you when you stopped getting IDed for alcohol/tobacco etc...? Well, I got carded for an R-rated movie when I was 25 years old, and I got carded for non-alcoholic wine from Trader Joe's when I was in my late-30s. 22. Favorite casino? Haven't been to many. Enjoy The Cal, except for the smoke. 23. Are you happier now than you were in high school? Definitely. 24. Did you ever have Hypercolor shirts? Huh? 25. Do you remember when Michael Jackson was black and attracted to older people? I remember when he was part of the Jackson Five. 26. What music was in your cd/cassette player when you were 16? When I was 16, CDs weren't invented yet. I had 45s and LPs. My first 45 was "Love Will Keep us Together" by Captain and Tennille. My first album was "Grease." I was into Joey Travolta, Kristy and Jimmy McNicol, and a whole lotta disco and Top 40 hits. 27. Favourite fancy/upscale restaurant? I haven't been to any upscale restaurants since probably more than 10 years. Tony & I always go to the same old hangouts. 28. How long has it been since you attended a kegger? College? Although I didn't drink in college either, not really. Never did like or drink beer. I drank some wine in college, but that's about it. 30. Where were you when you found out about 9-11? Nobuko called me and woke me up and told me to turn on the TV. She said, "There's going to be a whole lot of oppression going on." I had a grant due the next day, but luckily they extended it a day since I was glued to the TV the next 2 days. 31. When's the last time you were at a 7-11? No idea. My mom didn't let us go in them, she was scared something bad would happen. She also didn't like us to buy gas at night. 32. When's the last time you bought a 40oz of beer? Never.

Ok, now it's time for Rainbow Jello production. It's a 7 layer jello that takes 20 minutes per layer. Presents are wrapped. Tonight is tamales with the Ayalas. Hope you have a happy holiday!