Helloooooo nurse! So you’ve come to find out about me, so I’m not about to disappoint. This is my manifesto. TL;DR—but since you’re here, I’m fully expecting you to hunker down and commit to this thing. I promise, I have a sparkling personality. Here’s proof: (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Me: I’m a designer with a huge passion for all the nifty, designer-y things. I’m very much a dabbler—I get into it with photography, interior decorating/consulting, fashion, calligraphy, baking…I might’ve picked up a few books on crochet (but don’t ask me how that’s going)... I’m a jack-of-all-trades and master of some, ACTUALLY! I appreciate many forms of design because I am so fascinated with the myriad ways there are to express yourself. I love that design is a universal language, but it’s a game of roulette in that you only get a tiny blip of time in the matrix to capture someone’s attention; where you can convey all these ideas and stories to your audience and be able to potentially connect deeply with someone else; all in a time when there is so much need for people to connect. And if I manage to cut to someone’s core, with something I friggin’ formed with my mind-magic? Well you’d better bet your bottom-dollar that I count that as a huge win. And when I think on the burgeoning potential of a magical connection, I just hug myself. (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)

Me still: I am a cringey-millienialist who was born and raised in San Francisco and lived there for most of my life. True to my 90s upbringing, I was a latch-key kid that raised myself on after-school TV specials and microwave-melted cheese (oh wait, not everyone grew up on that??), and wandered Chinatown on my own as a kiddo (Where were our parents back then?? Why we were we allowed to run amok even when they kept warning us about strangers with candy??). As with a lot of interesting people, I grew up poor—daughter of a man who worked at a literal sausage factory—and that meant my only “toys” were a second-hand typewriter, a tape recorder to record myself telling stories with no plot, and safety scissors with a side of primary-colored construction papier. I’m really a laid-back sort of thing; I’m weird, but I think the good kind of weird—the kind that stands out but also blends in like the Predator—the kind of weird you need and maybe perhaps didn’t know you needed. A refreshing slap in the face, if you will. I kind of love the whole art of macabre thing too, you know—haunted dolls, French clowns, paranormal movies/series/ podcasts, exorcisms...the usual gamut. I love art and books and have curated quite a collection of my own which I’m quite proud of; and hoarding, and the art of hoarding (but I’m in quasi-denial about it), and run-on sentences. 

You know what else I love? I love music, so entirely and immensely. Just like the stereotypical Asian upbringing of most [Asians, that is—], classical instrument-learning was foisted upon my formative years, by way of the piano, violin, and upright bass. Don’t even talk to me about musical theory. Thanks, I hate it. BUT! I’m actually very grateful that I was coerced into musical education, albeit under duress—because I’m now beyond fond of it all! On my “down time” (just kidding, that doesn’t actually exist in this age), I can be found pounding away on the piano to the tunes of Chopin, and…yes… even the occasional Mariah Carey—but only during Christmas, because that’s just required musical fodder…muahahaha. I’m also constantly and meticulously digging for new music. I cannot rest if I’m in a quiet room. I will quite literally go insane. In another life, I would have liked to score some dark romance/drama/ comedy film. Perhaps it’s not too late… Hi #HansZimmer, #DannyElfman, #HowardShore, #PatrickDoyle, #LinManuelMiranda—I’m lookin’ at y’all to take me under your wing, so please call my agent!

Me also: And wherefore am I now? Why, I’m in the beautiful ‘burbs of Portland, Oregon, where the food and drink is flowing and the community is generous and vibrant! I live with an actual teen boy that I managed to keep alive and watered all these years (I kill plants for a living, so please be proud of my immense achievement), one silly and pugnacious kitty—whom I love—despite the fact, and the most recent addition to the fam, a super spunky and sweet Husky!

School of learning: I have a totally legit piece of paper covered in holographic and fuzzy stickers that says I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design (I have photo proof). It was through arte school, that this tempestuous and rapturous love affair with arts further blossomed into a thing that would conquer my lifeblood and consume my soul like a fierce, white-hot ever-flame that can never be sated. And I never looked back!

Experience: I’ve been around the beat y’all. I’ve done the freelance, worked for tech companies, startups, dubious Nigerian princes? jk??? (I’ll never tell!!!), and big corpo—doing in-house design and juggling a zillion projects at once. I’m really stellar with project management, cuz I have the good sense to become besties with all the project managers, and I have a healthy addiction to physically checking my to-do list of assignments off. I know all about that charm and compromise and flexibility to get those business partners/ stakeholders on your side. I know the life of break-neck design deadlines with not-so-great [read: ugly and ambiguous] briefs. I know about the [metaphorical] tears when someone at the final hour (I suspect the VP's Great-Aunt second-removed, wanted some input on the matter), wants to change the ever-lovin' concept AFTER the final design has been submitted. I know about the client with vague feedback on round four asking, “Can you work your magic? Mmkaythnxbai.” I know about file naming for the DAM, and adding _Final-Final-Real-Final-version-26.0 to the end of the PSD file; and the 47 million screenshots on the desktop (oop, that just me?). OH, HOW I KNOW. I am well-versed with the shoot-me-in-the-brains hectic-ness of the heinous thing that is Q4, and yet, I'm still not jaded and count myself fortunate to have been a part of some really amazing projects. I love design. MOOD BOARDS? CAN'T.GET.ENOUGH. ಥ_ಥ

As someone who runs a side gig as a photographer, I wear a million hats there as well—I’m a Creative Director—putting together concepts for shoots, but I’m also taking care of all the logistics, including project managing, production, sourcing vendors/brands/models, reading the fine print and sending out the contracts, doing the actual shooting, doing all the editing, delivering everything to everybody, making reels, ads, stories, networking, accounting! It’s a lot! But I enjoy it immensely. I am sometimes that sane-looking duck that’s super cool and collected, but paddles furiously beneath the water’s surface.

Epilogue: Am I a rambler? Yes. Can I get to the point? Sometimes—but MOST of the time! I may not want to, cuz you can’t make me. BUT if you bribe me with cheese, I can be goaded to get back to it (yes, I am a mouse, if you paid any attention to the plot). This is me in a big ole nutshell. If you read through all that? Serious kudos to you, cuz you’re now on the hook for emailing me for an interview because I’ve piqued your interest and I’m a person of intrigue. And probably hire me. No—definitely hire me. I’m super reliable and trustworthy and I ship so, so fast. Also, I get along with cool people. I’m alright with shite people too, cuz I’m about getting stuff done and I know when to be grateful. And…scene. XOXO