33 things I’ve learned in my 33 years

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  1. Having the right attitude is EVERYTHING.
  2. Money definitely does NOT buy happiness.
  3. Contentment is > Possessions.
  4. Traveling opens up your mind to many other things.
  5. Traveling teaches you appreciation.
  6. Spontaneity becomes harder as you get older.
  7. Nothing always goes as planned.
  8. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
  9. Anything can happen.
  10. What used to be called the pound sign is now called the hashtag.
  11. Language continues to grow and change…for instance, check out #12 and #13
  12. FOMO means Fear of Missing Out.
  13. YOLO means You Only Live Once.
  14. Comfort = Danger
  15. Its not easy to save money. How did my dad ever survive on a single income raising a family of seven?
  16. Money does not grow in trees.
  17. Its harder to lose weight as you get older. No carbs for a month doesn’t work anymore. And comes #18…
  18. Its harder to find the time to exercise. Going to the gym used to be a way to socialize and meet guys. Now your guy is on the sofa drinking a beer and watching “deadliest catch.”
  19. Forever 21 is no longer my go-to store. My husband was not-so-right when he said that a woman should stop shopping at Forever 21 when she turned 22. I stopped shopping there when I hit my 30’s. Everything there just seems too short, too cropped, or too distressed for a 30 year old. However, it’s still a great place to snag some affordable accessories.
  20. I have a new found appreciation for solitude. Its nice to escape from the noise and be alone with your own thoughts.
  21. People continue to grow and change. I thought I was the same person that left my tiny island of Guam almost ten years ago. My cousins proved me wrong.
  22. Change is not always bad. Take for example #23…
  23. Phones change too. These are the phones I’ve had in my lifetime so far: rotary phone, touch-tone phone, cordless phone, nokia cellphone with replaceable cases, motorola razr, samsung flip phone (2 different kinds…a blue and a pink one), iphone 3, and now an iphone 5.
  24. You don’t have to suffer in high heels. Flats are cute and comfortable. I use to own, if any, one pair of sneakers or flats. I would wear platform sneakers, platform slippers, and high stiletto heels. I would never be caught in my flats…that has all changed! But, even with that…
  25. Manolo and Christian sure know how to target their women.
  26. E-commerce is powerful. Hel-looo Mercari and Poshmark!
  27. Social media is booming! Know how to keep the balance and when to just say NO. There’s facebook, instagram, snapchat, etc.
  28. You can learn how to cook, sew, and put on makeup not by going to a traditional school but through YouTube.
  29. Skincare is so important. Cleanse, Treat, Moisturize, and Protect. I thank my 20 year old self now for having a regimen and seeking professional help when my acne went out of control. Being 33 and passing as a twenty-something is great. Can’t wait to be 40 and looking 30. Or 50 and looking 40…you get the picture.
  30. Marriage is work.  I don’t know why so many people were hating on Ben Affleck when he said that in his acceptance speech for best picture. He said, “it is work..but its the best kind of work.”  Which leads me to #31..
  31. Marry your best friend. When you have similar values, beliefs, and personalities that mesh together…it makes “work” fun and endearing.
  32. When it comes to friends…its not the number of friends that matter, but the quality of those friendships. Can we tell them our innermost thoughts and feelings without being judged or reprimanded? Do they forgive us for our mistakes? Do they bring out the best in us? Are they there during our lowest and highest moments? They are true friends. Keep ’em! But also…#33.
  33. To have true friends, I must also be one. Listen more, talk less. Forgive and Forget. Always encourage and never discourage.

There are things that definitely get better with age: cheese, wine, and the Mature ME!

A Foodie’s Dream Come True…Dallas & Austin, TX

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Back in December, my friend Rachel, my husband, and I took a quick trip to Texas. This was the first time for all of us to visit the Lone Star State. We were there specifically for a wedding…but…simultaneously, we ate our way thru Dallas and Austin.

To get a taste of Southern Food we visited Ellen’s Southern Kitchen. The mac and cheese along with their fried okra was the highlight of that place.

Next, to get our liquor and grub on…we visited Meddlesome Moth. Excellent service, superior tasting food, and booze everywhere.

A visit to Texas wouldn’t be complete without having Tex-Mex. That is: Texan influenced Mexican food. For that, our local friends took us to Torchy’s. After having it, I realized I have a special spot for authentic Mexican food.

Now, let me tell you this…Texas, or possibly just Austin…has an infatuation with licking. We visited two very different establishments with “lick” in its name. One of them was Salt Lick BBQ. A visit to Texas also wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t have some of their BBQ. Salt Lick has many claims to fame, including a feature on the show Man vs. Food, however, the locals also like their food. We had to go there! And it truly did not disappoint.

The other establishment was called Lick Honest Ice Cream. They have such unique and classic flavors…something to please everyone’s tastebuds.

And now that I think about it though…they had every reason to include “lick” in their names. Its exactly what you would do with your fingers or lips after having anything on their menu.

As you can see…we ate our way (figuratively speaking) thru Dallas and Austin in three days. We definitely went through a cleanse afterwards.

However, if you do visit Dallas or Austin…definitely try one of the places mentioned above. You won’t regret it entirely. Happy Nom Nom!

 

 

Guam to California. Lesson #2: What is Hmong?

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Ka (in traditional Hmong outfit) and her husband, Anthony, on their Wedding Day (Oct 17, 2009.)

My first encounter with this word was when I was standing in line at my local bank in Florin Rd, cashing my very first paycheck since moving to Sacramento, California. The guy behind me gave me a sly smile and asked me if I was Hmong. Hmong? I had no clue what he meant and said, “No.”

My second encounter with the word was during training at my then new job. We were given scenarios and the word Hmong was written on the booklet. Again…I had no clue what it meant, but from the context, I gathered that it was an ethnicity or a nationality.

So I went home to my aunt and uncle’s house…and I asked them, “what is Hmong?” And they just flat out laughed at me. Some help they were. They were very unclear on describing it to me, but basically said they are short people, like myself , that moved to Sacramento from Vietnam and other places, because they didn’t have their own country.

Thankfully, a year or so later, I met Ka, who is Hmong. She worked at the same building as I did. We became fast friends and she enlightened me with her culture and her language. I asked her a few questions a few months ago, for this blog post, and these are her replies:

S: What is Hmong?

K: Hmong are a people without a country. After the Secret War ended, hundreds of thousands were accepted as refugees to America, France and Australia, just to name a few countries.

She then quoted a website called: ethonologue.org that states millions are still living in Southern China.

S: How would you describe the culture?

K: It’s a culture that cherishes family and heritage. They are a people who resist assimilation and yet are pleasant, amicable and humble.

S: Where did your ancestors come from?

K: Originally from China.

S: How would you describe the language?

K: Hmong is a macro language and have many micro languages under it. These micro languages are designated by color usually because of the color of their clothing. Hmong is a mono-syllabic language. (So interesting…isn’t it?!-Sharon)

S: How would you compare an ancient Hmong to a modern day Hmong?

K: The Hmong in America seem to have influence over the world wide Hmong populous. Through entertainment, internet and social media they connect to the rest of the Hmong around the globe and are changing the way those ones think and see the world around them. Most of those changes seem to be for the worse and not the better. Many are getting divorced, having extramarital affairs and children out of wedlock. Things which, just a few years ago, would have been unheard of. There are some parts of the world where the Hmong have not been ‘contaminated’ with this modern age, and they live quiet and humble lives; probably like the ancient Hmong.

 

I had the pleasure of attending a Hmong meeting once before…and was very lost. However, I did appreciate the enthusiasm that many learners put into the learning the language. At that time, they were studying the My book of bible stories for their Congregation Bible Study. They were limited in the books they can use since not a lot of the publications were translated in Hmong. Also, their songbook had less pages compared to our regular song book. Now, they have the Remote Translation Office for Hmong in South Sacramento, and Ka is currently one of the translators there.

How glad I am to come to know a new culture, a new person, and a new language… that shows Jehovah definitely does not discriminate nor hold back any of His blessings.

 

 

 

Elevator Pitch

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“An elevator pitch, elevator speech or elevator statement is a short summary used to quickly and simply define a process, product, service, organization, or event and its value proposition.[1]

The name ‘elevator pitch’ reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes and is widely credited to Ilene Rosenzweig and Michael Caruso (while he was editor for Vanity Fair) for its origin.[2][3] The term itself comes from a scenario of an accidental meeting with someone important in the elevator. If the conversation inside the elevator in those few seconds is interesting and value adding, the conversation will either continue after the elevator ride, or end in exchange of business cards or a scheduled meeting.” (Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_pitch)

 

I’ve heard of this long before..but never-ever thought of formulating one. And, as I contemplate about it, an elevator pitch is useful for everyday life. For instance, in a group setting…where random people are just talking about themselves and what they’ve accomplished…where you’d like to leave a mark or somewhat a memorable impression of yourself…its good to have a well-prepared, compelling, yet brief commentary. Something that will linger in their minds…and leave a pleasant memory of you and the words you just spoke.

Or When you get that chance encounter with that guy or gal you’ve been crushing on…what do you say?

Or when you meet that famous person…do you just shriek and ask, “can I take a picture?” or would you rather have something to say that has more meaning? I would choose the latter.

Here are some pitches I’ve conjured up:

If I somehow ran into Casey Neistat (one famous dude and entrepreneur), I would say: “Hi! I’m Sharon. Good to see you in person than thru a screen. My first vid of yours is ‘Free Business Class Upgrade, everytime.’ But since you’ve been vlogging daily you have definitely increased my vocabulary. I learn new words from you regularly…most recently the word ‘amiable.’ Tell Candice she rocks and hugs to Owen and Francine.”

If I were in a forum and I had to introduce myself…it would sound something like this: “Hi! I’m Sharon and i’ve done many scary things in my life.. like jumping out of a plane or traversing a foreign country on my own…but, somehow, this moment right here…talking to all of you, is also quite scary. However, the importance is to conquer that fear…just do it and don’t think too much about it …and ride it like a bull.”

What’s your elevator pitch? I’d like to know.

Current Project: Simplifying my Wardrobe

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This past weekend my friend and I had a Yard Sale for the very first time…and I am glad to say we had a pretty good turnout.

Since then, I’ve been inspired to simplify my wardrobe. There are blogs, videos, and books about minimalism or having a capsule wardrobe*… and I am challenging myself to accomplish that daunting task.

You see, I’m one of those people who like to hold on to things…excuses like, “maybe i’ll lose weight again..” or “I had this since middle school..” turns me into a mini hoarder.

Currently, I had labeled a box “memories” and placed clothing there that have sentimental value. I also took an empty bin and filled it with clothing and other items for me to sell on the next Yard Sale.

https://www.instagram.com/p/-IWQ-XGVX2/?taken-by=islanderinheels

Eventually, my goal is to (a) have 30 pieces of clothing for “All Season”, ten pieces to add to that for Spring/Summer, and another ten pieces for Fall/Winter. That will leave me with a total count of 50 pieces of clothing. OR (b) just have 30 pieces for each season and remix everything for the following season. Regardless, my goal will be to have less than 100 pieces of clothing. Preferably, under 60.

Once I tackle the clothing part…my next task will be SHOES. I’m planning to embrace this mentality with everything: clothing, shoes, bags, and makeup….I’ll keep you updated on the progress. Here’s to a simpler life that will help make your home less cluttered and your money used for more of life’s “essentials.”

*Put simply, it’s a way of minimizing your clothes into a small collection that easily mixes and matches. http://www.today.com/style/how-create-capsule-wardrobe-t34931

Remembering 9/11/2001

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On that horrid day, I drove my dad’s truck to work, which was at the Guam ITC building. It was right before 12midnight. I had the radio on… and all of a sudden there was a special announcement: One of the Twin Towers in NYC was hit!  I got to the office and they had the t.v. blaring and everyone’s eyes were glued to it.  The first building was on fire and people were jumping out, and later we saw another plane crash into the second building. We couldn’t believe what we saw!

Back then, I was working as a transfer guide for Japan Travel Bureau. I was assigned for arrivals that evening/early morning. As part of the arrival crew, we were responsible for greeting the visitors and taking them to their respective hotels. However, as we got to the airport, we learned that all flights were cancelled worldwide…and weren’t sure when flights will resume. That meant, we had no job for the evening/day.

We headed back to the ITC building and clocked out. It must’ve been 2am by then. A few co-workers and I grabbed a bite to eat at the King’s restaurant in Tamuning. We were discussing the events that just took place and what we were to do. In the corner of the restaurant, we saw the Lt. Governor (back then it was Madeleine Bordallo) and a few other men in a serious conversation. Apparently, during that time, the actual Governor was off-island and she was in command. She had some heavy responsibilities.

After our breakfast and conversation, my co-workers and I parted ways and went home.

I remembered my older brother called from California and he was highly distressed. A plane was also supposed to hit San Francisco, CA. He had only been gone for nine months, but already wanted to come home. My mom and dad didn’t discourage him from doing so…and he came back to Guam. He never left again…

Where were you then and what was it like?

Guam Food List

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My blog lives…

Sorry I’ve been missing these past few weeks… Juggling things in your life is a real talent. Also, I’ve been running dry on ideas for my blog. But, alas, I was reminded by a girlfriend of mine a list I had made of restaurants I wanted her to try on her last visit to Guam…and I thought…”why don’t I do a blog post on that?” So here it is…

My dear friend Krystal visited Guam in 2008. Before her journey, I recommended a few of my favorite places that would leave an indelible mark. Those places were, and still are, my top picks.

Jamaican Grill. They are known for their Jerk BBQ Chicken and Ribs. Ya Mon, It is some serious food. When you eat BBQ…you always need your rice and they have Jamaican Rice and Red Rice. I come from a family of 7, so we always get their family platters and order 1/2 Jamaican Rice and 1/2 Red Rice. You gotta do both…they are equally as good. For lunch or a quick bite, I always go for their Jerk Burger with curry mayo and fries. A must try!

Shirley’s. A staple on the island. Plus, one of her son’s was my next door neighbor…they were awesome! Shirley’s is famous for her fried rice. So, I always order that with my 1/2 chicken. You will find an array of items to order on their menu and the portions are huge.

Joinus Keyaki-Teppanyaki. The restaurant has had some remodeling done but the food is just as good as I remembered. There has been a price increase, but that is normal for businesses to stay afloat. With that being said, I recommend coming here during lunch for the prices are still reasonable and you get to do some shopping after. Ask for garlic chips with your angus beef and get some syrup (sugar water) for your iced tea and enjoy the teppan show.

Capriciossa. Pasta for days! Gotta try their Seafood Spaghetti (I believe its the s-9…) and their Black Ink Squid Spaghetti. The portions are huge, so you can definitely share among friends and family.

Chamorro Village. Every Wednesday night there is a Night Market. There are food vendors, clothing vendors, souvenir vendors, and more. It gets really crowded and busy, so for some they prefer to go on other days during normal business hours. You can ride the trolley or drive to Chamorro Village. If you do go, get a fiesta plate. Usually this will be red rice, BBQ meat (chicken, beef ribs, pork ribs, etc.,) chicken kelaguen, and potato salad. Also, get shrimp patties, takoyaki, and pickled papaya or mango. My mouth is salivating as I type…

McKraut’s. I reminisce when this place used to be a small shack in Malojloj with a slogan “Not Healthy but Tasty.” How it has grown! It is now a full-fledged restaurant and bar. This place is legendary for their brats from when they were a small shack, but now their menu has expanded.  I ordered Jägerschnitzel on my last visit, which was breaded pork served with mashed potatoes and red cabbage vegetables. It was good. The only downside to this place is the slow service. But what can you expect? It is, after all, island time.

My new favorites on island:

Pika’s Café. Open only for breakfast and lunch or brunch. However, come early because the place has a tendency to fill up quickly. Tinaktak Burger, Loco Moco, Korean BBQ on Rice…are items you can NEVER go wrong with. It kept me coming back for more. I didn’t appreciate their penne pasta…but that’s why I go to Capri for pasta.

Niji at the Hyatt. A place to visit for all you can eat tempura and green tea tiramisu. Need I say more?

I hope I made some helpful suggestions and, if you are visiting, enjoy your time in Guam!

Planning the Perfect Ladies’ Getaway

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Over the past year or so, I have been on two successful all female trips. Both were for girlfriends of mine that were about to get married! Although, I can’t take all the credit for the success, I definitely took down notes to share with you all.

https://instagram.com/p/5NxUwQGVZT/?taken-by=islanderinheels

  • Gather the Ladies (Usually 3-4 months before the scheduled trip). Jot down who’s going and see what everyone can contribute towards the trip. And by contribution, this can mean monetary, housing (we took advantage of our friend’s timeshare), vehicle, food, etc.
  • Have everyone share their ideas. During this time, you will see who the natural leaders are, the contributors, and who the followers will be. Also, at this point, you can either relinquish your role as leader and become a contributor, or remain a leader. The main thing is to have a collaborative group of ladies that are equally excited and happy to be on this upcoming trip.
  • Establish a forum where everyone can offer ideas, suggestions, what services they want, pricing, photos, etc. We certainly put google+ to good use. We had google hangouts, shared documents, and also had a spreadsheet of expenses on google docs. For daily communication, we utilized group texts or Voxer.
  • Set up an itinerary. A daily itinerary is good, but if you can have an hourly itinerary that is even better. For example:  7am depart San Jose for L.A./ 12noon lunch / 2pm Check In at Hotel / 7pm Dinner Reservations at the Restaurant. Having an hourly itinerary will give everyone an idea of when to get ready and what to pack and/or wear. However, when you have an hourly itinerary, make room for adjustments and don’t be overly restrictive with time. Unnecessary stress is not needed.
  • On that note, its time to make reservations (Usually 3-4 weeks ahead, or even a few months before, if the place gets really busy) at spas, salons, restaurants, hotels, etc. Any place you plan to visit with your group of girlfriends. Also, this is where credit cards will be used, so be prepared to give that info out. (This is also where that spreadsheet comes in handy for the breakdown of expenses.)

Some ideas for things to do are:

Spa Day (I highly recommend Glen Ivy in SoCal)

Mani/Pedis

Tea Parties (I highly recommend Muir Tea in Sebastopol, CA)

Wineries

  • Closer to departure date, remind every one of their responsibilities, to bring cash, and whatever they think will make the trip an enjoyable one. Also, make arrangements of where to meet and depart accordingly.
  • Bring thank you cards, if you have hosts, and enjoy your trip! Sans drama…

Pocket Wifi

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Pocket Wifi has got to be one of those things that you would consider a life-saver.

Previously, I did a blog post on apps that require data and how you could use those apps without being afraid of coming home to a ridiculously expensive cell phone bill.

Interestingly, a country that is known for its cutting-edge technology, wasn’t so wifi friendly. Especially when it came to free wifi at places of businesses. We rented a pocket wifi device at the airport, and this helped us traverse through unknown territory.

A few things you need to remember when renting a pocket wifi:

  • Have a credit card. Although, your debit card has a Visa logo, it doesn’t work as a credit card. The company we rented our pocket wifi’s from required this.
  • There is a mobile wifi router rental agreement that you have to sign, so plan to take a few minutes at the rental booth. We had to run to our train station because we didn’t realize how long the process would be. I would at least plan for 30 minutes – 1 hour. Especially when traveling with a group.
  • Keep your passport handy for they will need it to identify you.
  • Don’t lose anything. They give you a small bag that will house the charger and the pocket wifi.
  • Don’t forget to return at the same kiosk (we rented ours in the arrival terminal of the airport.) My brothers remembered to return their’s since they took the train back to the airport the same way we arrived, however, my husband and I decided to take the limousine bus back to the airport which drops you off directly at the departure terminal. Because of that, we completely forgot to return our pocket wifi until we were near our gate, and had to mail it back. They charge a fee to your card, for not returning it on the date you said you would, but upon receiving the pocket wifi they refunded the fee.

A few things to remember when using the pocket wifi:

  • Don’t upload videos using the pocket wifi because you will drain, not only the battery, but also the ability to keep your speed connection at 4G. I made this mistake and had to deal with 3G for the entire trip..which isn’t so bad, but when you’ve gotten so used to 4G…there’s no going back.
  • If you have a long day planned, keep the charger with you and have a standby battery pack. Unfortunately, with constant use, it goes for eight hours but very hardly anything longer than that. We almost didn’t have a way to find our way back to our hotel at 11:30pm. Thank goodness for taxi cabs.

I hope our experiences with the pocket wifi will help you on your next journey. Happy Travels!

Camping Survival Guide (for the Women)

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So, as you know, we spent our Memorial Day weekend camping in Truckee, California. While planning it months before, we thought that it would be a great weekend to go camping. Since it’s in late May, we figured it would be Not too hot and Not too cold. Boy, were we wrong! It rained the entire weekend. We did have glimpses of the sun, and for one whole afternoon we were blessed with sunshine. However, hours later we had a torrential downpour. And at night, we were cold. Not bone-chilling cold but still pretty cold. Upon returning home, I did appreciate having a few items with me that helped make camping life easy. Here they are:

  • Travel John. It’s basically a disposable urinal. You cup it below you and you pee into it. Immediately the liquid turns into gel, so nothing spills out. It claims to be re-usable…meaning you can use it more than one pee session, but I didn’t do that because I was worried my liquids would be too much and overflow. I rather not risk it. A pack came with six disposable urinals, so I had more than enough for three nights. The Travel John saved me from having to walk out in the rain to relieve myself in the port-a-potty. (The Travel John site.)
  • Wipes. Bath Wipes, Hand Wipes, Face Wipes, and Flushable Wipes. They all came in handy and useful in keeping us clean. This was a must, considering we had no showers in our campground.
  • HeadLamp. When the sun sets and darkness starts to loom around you, the headlamp was an awesome option for providing light. Its hands free so you can cook, wash dishes, and do anything else freely with your two hands.
  • Self-inflating sleeping pads. Easy to set up and provides cushion for your back and insulation from the cold.
  • Sleeping Bags. Keeps you warm in the cold.
  • Tarp. Provides shade from sun and shelter from the rain. It can also be used underneath your tent so that the bottom doesn’t get soaked from the rain. Very multipurpose.
  • Layers. Bring layers and a change of clothes. This helps you feel warmer and cleaner.
  • FaceWash, Acne meds, and Moisturizer with SPF. I broke out on Day 2 of camping. Skincare is still important.
  • Rain Gear. I had my snowboarding jacket which kept me warm and dry. I wish I had packed rain boots because I brought my Uggs wannabe shoes that kept me warm but they weren’t waterproof.
  • First Aid Kit. A must especially if children are there.
  • Carabiners. They are so useful for camping..to hang your lantern, to let your dog run freely, and other useful things.
  • And hopefully your man brings the rest: Tent, Lantern, Camp Stove, Cooler, Lighter Fluid plus Lighter, Fire Starter, Cooking Supplies, Clean Up Supplies, Plates, Cups, Cutlery, Food, and Bug Spray.

We only camp once or twice a year, but it is a fun activity if you do it with the right group and with the right weather. Happy Camping!