Sprinkles of Life

[sprinklesgalore]

Saw Abominable yesterday, and was absolutely thrilled to SEE and HEAR characters who reminded me of myself, friends, and relatives. That almost never happens, and I’m so happy to see things changing. Go see it! This movie is about cherishing family, taking a leap of faith, and believing in yourself. It’s about home, and who makes you feel understood. #abominable #abominablemovie #dreamworksanimation #pearlstudios https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Hl60XlpUQ/?igshid=1rfh1ku0enu2

[sprinklesgalore]

Hershel & The Hanukkah Goblins has flown by. If you haven’t made it out yet, we STILL have one last show next Saturday at 1pm! . . This show has been such a joy to work on. I cannot express how grateful I am for the team that made it possible—Jacqueline Stone’s directing and generous spirit led us forward from day one. Mike Dailey’s adaptation is full of life and heart. Each of my stage managers and cast mates have never ceased to support me and lift each other up. The designers were brilliant and committed. . . I feel so lucky to have gone this far with these beautiful people. It seems like it’s only been a short while, but I believe what we’ve made together on and offstage will last a very very long time. . . #chicagotheater #strawdog #chicago #actress #hershelandthehanukkahgoblins #theaterforyoungaudiences #livemusic #dancing #friends #theater #acting (at Strawdog Theatre Company) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsB8ldBAieW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1v8rxubk22wjz

[sprinklesgalore]

Hershel & The Hanukkah Goblins has flown by. If you haven’t made it out yet, we STILL have one last show next Saturday at 1pm! . . This show has been such a joy to work on. I cannot express how grateful I am for the team that made it possible—Jacqueline Stone’s directing and generous spirit led us forward from day one. Mike Dailey’s adaptation is full of life and heart. Each of my stage managers and cast mates have never ceased to support me and lift each other up. The designers were brilliant and committed. . . I feel so lucky to have gone this far with these beautiful people. It seems like it’s only been a short while, but I believe what we’ve made together on and offstage will last a very very long time. . . #chicagotheater #strawdog #chicago #actress #hershelandthehanukkahgoblins #theaterforyoungaudiences #livemusic #dancing #friends #theater #acting (at Strawdog Theatre Company) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsB8S_2g0ez/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17zdxwyqn3rvj

[sprinklesgalore]

Hey there William! Didn't know you lived five minutes away from my new apartment here in Chicago! We should totally hang out. 😜 #shakespeare #actress #chicago #mychiparks #lincolnpark #newgirlintown #iseeyou #summerinchicago #duke #dukeclassof2016 #dukestudents #hawaiiandress #greenconverse #exploring (at Lincoln Park, Chicago)

[sprinklesgalore]

I can't believe I finished the Summer Conservatory at Stella Adler Studio of Acting in NYC! At the end of ten illuminating weeks, I have a certificate in hand, and a bright new pair of eyes through which to see the world! Off to more #adventures in #chicago tomorrow! #summeratadler #stellaadler #nyc #actress #acting #workinprogress #praisegod #thankful #graduation #pineappledress (at Stella Adler Studio of Acting)

[sprinklesgalore]

Need

The world shimmers and shines

designer bags, newly made noses, flaws smoothed over

who am I and who will I be

are things we need 

to find

approval, praise, progress 

all in the name of progress and 

change

The world displays 

bodies, like clean cut meat, to eat up

find me attractive, find me rich, find me likable

all thoughts the pictures scream at me

it doesn’t stop

The world doesn’t stop spinning

spinning stories, tossing us around like beads

pick the prettiest one

But stop.

What do I need?

I think of You and take a sigh of relief

I need only 

be Me. 

[sprinklesgalore]

A haircut for my haircut! #angledbob #firstdayatwork

[sprinklesgalore]

Watched #pitchperfect2 today with these two lovely ladies!! (at Century El Con 20)

[sprinklesgalore]

the Power of Media

Media. Is. Powerful. 

It has the ability to change lives, to make people cry, to help people fall in love. It can corral people together to join one cause, to collectively experience as one. It can create fear, hatred, and exposure to things that many wish were kept hidden. Media is useful, media is powerful, and media is growing.

Media can instill good values in the young, but it can also make the older lose hope in the next generation. Media can be used for good, but it can also be used for purposes that are less rewarding, less substantial...less life-giving. 

If I want to use media (and different forms of it too) to tell stories, I realize that I have a choice about what types of stories I want to tell. I want to tell stories that ARE life-giving, good, and leave the viewer feeling loved, encouraged, and hopeful. Ideally, my stories would inspire others to want to tell uplifting stories as well.

However, how good can the end of a story be without a hard, difficult journey? How much authenticity am I willing to give up in order to tell a completely “pure” story? 

None. I don’t think that skipping the weak, vulnerable moments of human life would give a complete picture of a truly redemptive story. In order to understand forgiveness, we need to know what it is that we are being forgiven of. In order to comprehend what goodness is, we need to face what it is that is bad, and own up to it. 

And once we do, once we face evil and say, “You have no hold on me,” that’s when the goodness triumphs. Those are the best kinds of stories to tell. 

Maybe a better way to think of media is this: Media itself is not powerful. It’s the way that it’s used. If we are holders of this ability to use media, we all potentially have the power to change the world, a little bit at a time, for better or for worse. Let’s tell good stories, and use media in a way that makes the world better!

[sprinklesgalore]

Purge Me [Official Lyric Video]

The Official Lyric Video of "Purge Me"

This song, “Purge Me” by Urban Doxolgy, has become my new favorite worship song within the past week! After hearing it for the first time at Rockbridge, its lyrics of both desperation and declaration have reminded me so much of the fact that we constantly need to return to God despite our problems, our imperfections, and our weaknesses. The best part is...He CAN save us. We’re powerless without him, but when we surrender to him, mountains move, and nothing seems so bad anymore. Hope you like it too! 

[sprinklesgalore]

It is SOOO BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE!!! Happy snow day Duke :) #snow #duke #winterwonderland (at Duke University)

[sprinklesgalore]

Watch Duke Student Broadcasting's first student health entertainment show! What the Devil Prescribes: Valentine's Over Viruses

[sprinklesgalore]

Fusion's reaction to our win!! ENJOY!! (Music: Flight of the Order of the Phoenix.)

[sprinklesgalore]

Not So Glamorous

After an informational interview today with a reporter for the first time, I learned something I hadn't stopped to think about in a while. I actually learned a lot of practical things from my conversation with her--about the way tv stations are ranked, about the differences between working at big stations versus little stations, and about the expected tasks as a potential intern. But the reporter I talked to reminded me of something else that I had forgotten in my hastiness in finding an internship at a broadcasting company--the work itself. 

Working as a news reporter--as anything really--isn't glamorous. To get to where they are, all of the familiar faces on TV had to start someplace, sometime, hauling their own equipment and finding strangers to interview. They had to rack their brains for new ideas, engaging questions, and fresh content. Some chose to go through grad school just to get a little bit ahead. 

I think that over the years, I've gotten a bit forgetful of how much effort I need to put into the work that I care about. Starting in high school, I'd started falling prey to the "I'll just do as much as I need to get an A" mentality, a mentality that I've been trying to change in recent years during college. Another example is that if I love acting, I shouldn't just search for auditions all day, but I should be perfecting the craft, reading books, reading plays, and loving that process as much as performing. If I want to become a reporter or news anchor one day, I shouldn't just do internship searches, but I should be keeping up with national headlines, I should be looking out for stories close by, and I should begin practicing now.    

Now that I've come to realize that neither of the things I want to do--acting and news reporting--are glamorous, I have to remember that the important thing is to not become discouraged. Doing work well requires a lot of effort, sweat, and maybe even tears. In the end, if it's the right thing for me, it'll still be worth it and I'll still come out of it loving it anyway. 

[sprinklesgalore]

First snow 2015 at Duke! (at Duke University)

[sprinklesgalore]

Fresh Off the Boat Premiere

Today I eagerly watched the premiere and second episode of ABC's new TV show, Fresh Off the Boat. Overall, I really enjoyed the two episodes--they were funny, fairly accurate, and fresh (lol) for me to see so many asians on one screen. If you haven't watched or even heard of FOB, you should take the time to at least know what it is: a new comedic TV show following an Asian American family that moves to Orlando from Chinatown in DC. 

Even these first few episodes already contained LOADS of references that remind me of my own Asian American childhood: My mother sending me to Chinese School, as opposed to the "Chinese Learning Center" throughout my pre-college life. My mother "homeschooling" me herself with Mandarin poetry books and math books during the summer when I had nothing better to do. My mother handing me sliced pieces of a pear right off the knife. The father who never wants to upset my mom because he knows her antics so well. The friends at school who thought my food smelled bad (but who still thought it tasted good--if only they tried some). 

All of these things were fairly accurate in my eyes, but there was one instance where something unexpected happened: At the end of the premiere, the parents Jessica and Louis kissed, a romantic gesture I FELT was coming, but I didn't know if it was actually GOING to happen because of how most asians socially act and react to public displays of affection, especially in the previous generation. When I see asian adults my parents' age kissing in public, I feel happy for them (and think that they're super cute), but would be surprised that that happened at all. Props to ABC and the production team for taking that leap and making asian romance more of a normal thing, which it really is now, but hadn't been portrayed on TV much. 

My favorite characters so far are Grandma Huang, Eddie, and Jessica. 

If you watch the episodes too, you'll know why!

I need to do homework now...Thanks for reading!

[sprinklesgalore]

A Prayer and A Decision

Dear God,

Thank you. The first words are always thank you. Thank you for the people in my life, thank you for the beautiful day outside today, thank you for my caprese sandwich, and thank you for bringing me through everything that I'm going through.

Today I can't express how grateful I am that you accept me for me. What I've done in the past completely has no hold over me and what I can achieve today, now, or tomorrow. 

In the Bible you say that each day has enough trouble in itself, so let tomorrow worry about itself! My future may seem extremely hazy right now--I don't know which passion, for art or for medicine, will win me over in the end--but that's not important for the way I should live today. 

I will take the yoke I've been given. I will work hard, because you're right beside me, pulling too. God, it's true that you value the process, more than the product, and I need to learn that again. You've brought me thus far; I can trust you to keep molding me for what's to come. 

Jesus, help me to give it all to live life to the fullest each and every day. You've given me passions, dreams, and inspiration I believe you will manifest some day through me, but I have a lot to learn, a lot to acquire, and a lot to be able to handle before I get there.

I love you.

Thank you.

In Jesus's Name I pray,

Amen.