For my first full blog post, I wanted to do a fun little introductory post to who I am beyond the stuff I do. So here's 10 random facts about me!
1. I'm extremely food-driven and cooking fuels me: I really enjoy making meals for friends, family and myself. I've recently been using lots of Omsom seasonings to make the Asian food I grew up with for myself for the first time and I'm honestly really proud to say that. Sisig and vermicelli bowls with chicken larb are some of my go-to's. It's been a really fun way of adulting and being creative at the same time!
2. I’m really into journaling: I have two different journals for different purposes - my “artist journal” for creative purposes and my Passion Planner, which is a planner but also basically a journal and I'm way too obsessed with it. And I also have COUNTLESS steno pads for notes taken during interviews. Heading into next year, I'm going to try bullet journaling to shake things up a bit.
3. I'm obsessed with making Spotify playlists: I always put my favorite new songs for each month or season in one "discoveries" playlist for that period of time, so I don't forget the new music that catches my ear. One of my favorite things about Spotify is that it can be a great tool for discovering new musical theatre rep and shows I may not have known without it, by just letting it shuffle through; I've found some of my favorites that way. I am proudest of my Sondheim trio (soothing Sondheim, happy Sondheim, and Sondheim breakdowns).
4. On that note, this is my taste in music: My go-to genres are usually musical theatre, soft pop, folk, and alternative. I'm a sucker for beautiful piano melodies, complicated guitar riffs and perfectly arranged harmonies (and also the crunchy ones). Top 5 music artists: Maggie Rogers, Dodie Clark, Sara Bareilles, Joni Mitchell, and Leanne and Naara are all very important to me. I've recently been getting into Shaina Taub, Jacob Collier, HAIM, and The 1975, too. (I also listened to a LOT of Erin McKeown's music leading up to Miss You Like Hell and looove her unique style.)
5. My astrology chart is all over the place: I'm an Aries sun, Virgo moon and Cancer rising. I feel like that explains a lot about me. I'm not your ~typical~ Aries but I set out to pursue my passions in an intense Aries way, my Virgo sense for organization and detail is unparalleled, and I am just very emotional and that's the Cancer.
6. I’m a vocal chameleon: I’m a freaky high soprano (on a good day, I can get all the way up to the F above high C) and enjoy singing Golden Age and classical songs. I also like mixing and belting and at this point if you ask me to sing anything I could probably do it.
7. I grew up in a small town but I’m a city girl at heart: I feel like I’m in my element whenever I’m in a city and love being in D.C. I love being able to always have new places to explore and I especially love a thriving arts scene in a city.
8. I like to fill up my schedule and keep myself busy, but this upcoming semester, I'm trying to be better about that. One thing that I really want to work on this year is how to be available for opportunities that will be good for me, while also saying no to things that will drain me.
9. I have a sensory processing disorder that manifests in sensory-seeking behaviors. I also have motor tics that usually involve me cracking various joints in my body and playing with my hair. I don't talk about this a lot because it's just a lot to explain (go to STAR Institute for good explanations on it), but if you've ever noticed me doing these things? This is why.
10. I love all the doggos and I miss petting all the doggos. Self-explanatory. I just love cute baby animals in general, too. Also squishy stuffed animals. My favorite is my Pillow Pet unicorn named Carrot, so named for that one line in Frozen where Olaf touches his carrot nose and says "It's like a little baby unicorn." (I swear I am an adult.)