Everything has been in front of me all along.

Everything. I once spoke to a friend and he said something along the lines of,"We have to go so very far to realize that everything has been in front of us all along." And I've been hella far! Crossing oceans to learn how to ride a bicycle, traversing borders to learn what it means to laugh, hopping on planes to learn that goodness still exists.

I spent three days in San Francisco, 1.5 days in Berkeley, and more days then I expected in Santa Clara, CA. I bought a one way ticket and I'm still here. I will leave tomorrow morning.

I haven't been writing because I have been living and I have been lazy. However, the turn of events these last 1.5 weeks has been great, I've learned that my friends are well connected and tapped into a circles that you would never think to reach. I learned that people are human and extremely nice. I also learned that I still have new fears to overcome or perhaps they are just old fears that have resurfaced.

Somehow I found myself at a three day conference for "Advancing Justice" for API's which was quite inspirational and well run. I haven't really had these types of discussions for over 2 years, it was refreshing and moving. It was particularly great to see my fellow friends and peers becoming the movers and shakers that they are, i.e. taking over the world. I could feel it, they will become someone big someday.

I found myself at this conference because at around 9:15 pm the night before I decided to meet with my friend Anthony for boba after meeting my friend Libby (We have officially met in three countries!). I was about to cancel this boba run too because I needed to catch someone else to talk to them about healthcare and the census. But then I was like, "fuck it" and stopped worrying about the logistics of time and met with my friend Anthony, since I wasn't sure I would see him later. Then he encouraged me to go to the conference and there I was! Amazing.

Anyways I find the series of events so bomb-ass for better lack of words -  I didn't really expect to stay up here for too long, I actually really miss home home right now. I sort of just want to hang out with my cousins, cook for my dad, hang out with gramps, and fall in love - you know the usual feelings that surface when routine has broken in and settling ain't so bad...

...when home is real.

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I had no cash on me. I was walking across the pedestrian bridge that overlooks Geary near Japan Town. It's an extremely beautiful pedestrian bridge, especially to the eyes of someone who hasn't seen such a thing in so long. The soft lights fade into the darkness. The voices of my friends trailing behind me, their energy so pulsating. Friends who I hadn't seen in a very long time, but it felt like yesterday. Cars run around below me and the Bay breeze nudges me cold. The tall buildings tell me not to worry and we tiptoe around the shattered remains of glass and I worry that I am bothering my friends and making them walk too far because I don't want to pay the extra atm fees. Then I tell myself that I'm being stupid and that they don't care.

Man this city is beautiful.

You are starting to love every city you go to. That's really good.

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I've recently discovered the magical world that is Sephora Online Shopping. I haven't partaken in it, but it's fun to see what kind of deals I can get online and not in person.

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I think I will write a very long story about Vietnam soon. Maybe.

You should just write about it.