The Art of Sitting Together
When I first started volunteering at a senior citizen assisted-living community in Oakland nearly a year ago, I thought connection came from conversation, that if I wanted to get to know someone, I needed to ask good questions, keep the discussion going, and always have something to say. After almost a year of volunteering, I've realized that's not really true. A few weeks ago, I participated in a laughing yoga class with some of the residents, and if you've never heard of la
2 days ago3 min read
The Project is the Excuse
When people ask what are some of the things I do at the retirement center, the easiest answer and the technically true one is I help with arts and crafts. Over the past year, I've helped residents work on all kinds of projects, we made a giant Earth for Earth Day, we made Chinese decorations for Lunar New Year, and we've painted, glued, cut things out and I also fixed things that fell apart. If someone walked through the art room, they would probably think the goal was to fi
Jun 202 min read
Alone, On Purpose, With Strangers
I always find it funny that people say they need quiet to get work done and then willingly choose one of the least quiet places possible. A café is full of distractions, people are talking, chairs are scraping across the floor, milk is steaming, music is playing, and every few minutes someone walks past your table, so logically, it should be a terrible place to focus. Yet whenever I have a lot to do, whether it's schoolwork, answering emails, or working for my non-profit Forg
May 143 min read
$5 Snowglobe and Why It Matters
I've always loved tiny souvenirs, and not necessarily expensive things or even useful things. Sometimes it's a snow globe, an ornament, a postcard, a museum gift shop trinket, or some random object that seemed incredibly important when I bought it and probably looks ridiculous now sitting on my shelf, but I keep them anyway. In fact, I collect snow globes whenever I travel. They aren't practical, and they definitely take up more space than they should, however I love them bec
Apr 234 min read
The Culture of “I’m So Busy”
At competitive high schools, being busy is not just a reality, umm, it's a personality trait. People do not just say they have a lot to do; they say it like it proves something. "I slept three hours," "I have three tests tomorrow," "I haven't had a free weekend in months." These statements are not complaints in the usual sense, they function more like achievements, and exhaustion becomes a kind of social currency, something you can trade for respect, validation, or at least r
Mar 82 min read
Where Do People Put Their Pain?
Every culture has to answer the same question: what do people do when life hurts? The pain itself is universal, people everywhere experience grief, stress, loneliness, disappointment, uncertainty, and loss, however what changes is how people are taught to respond to those feelings. Some people talk openly about them, some pray, some lean on family, some throw themselves into work, some seek professional help, and others turn to rituals, traditions, music, service, or communit
Feb 13 min read
Her Hands Tell the Story
After spending so much time doing art with an older woman at the assisted living facility nearby my house in Oakland, CA, I started noticing her hands. Not in a weird way, more like, once we were working together every week, her hands became part of the story, always there in the middle of the table, holding the paper, smoothing it down, reaching for the glue, adjusting something small that I probably would have rushed through. Hands are interesting because they can say thing
Jan 263 min read
