Hi everyone, I checked my analytics, and this podcast has listeners in Germany, Jamaica, and the US. It's been a year since I started this podcast, and what a year it has been. I haven't gone into specifics for everything, but this past year had a lot of loss and grief. This podcast was something I never would have done if I didn't take a gap year from school. I was able to slow down and really feel things (which was kind of scary). Anyway, we all made it to June 24, 2021, and to celebrate I interviewed someone very close to my heart- Ash Lee. This is a longer podcast, but I guarantee that once you start listening to her talk about things like self care, ice skating, and family, the minutes will fly by. I hope you enjoy, and thank you for listening.

I'm currently next to my open window enjoying the sounds of the night air. I had some blueberries covered in maple syrup, and I feel really content right now. In terms of grief and loss, I am trying to find comfort in orange and yellow. They were and are my grandma's favorite colors. They tend to pop up in unexpected places, and I feel a mixture of profound joy and sadness. I am grieving other things as well. I think we all are to some extent. I originally was going to write about all of the things I missed from "before" like crowded cafes, concerts, etc. Perhaps I'll touch on that in the future, but when I sat down to write it was my grandma and the July night I spent in Penn Station with that boy that I felt like talking about. What an interesting combination. Anyway, thank you for listening and reading this.

It's raining on my side of the world right now. I have wanted to share this piece for a very long time. My good friend sent me a podcast, and in the podcast, the people talked about this piece. It just touched something in me to read it. I have never met Mr. Hikmet, but I felt a real connection with  what he was saying. I have been on trains through beautiful scenery (also in Europe), and it always makes me want to live forever. It makes me feel connected to all of the people before and after me. Please give the original piece a read because his words need to be read in his voice. 

Sit back and relax with chocolate milk and popcorn as I get to interview one of my favorite people, Elaine! She is very sweet and wholesome, just like the whole milk at her house. We have been friends over a decade. My other best friend, Jon, was so gracious to make a jingle for this podcast. He wrote the tune, recorded himself singing, and edited it to sound like a sweet summer breeze. I am blessed to have these people in my life. By the way, happy 2021 and Lunar New Year! 

My grandma died today, and I have been missing her like crazy. It hasn't even been a full day yet, and it's so strange that the world is continuing to spin without her. 

Please pray for my dog. His name is Kramer. I know there is a lot of bad things happening in the world right, and my 17 lb senior dog doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but he is very important to me. We both struggle with anxiety, and it's so comforting to have someone in the world who understands me like he does. 

In this episode, I am going to read an excerpt from "A Series from Unfortunate Events". I changed the little details about the speaker's love interest because I wanted to make it more applicable to the person I love, so please forgive the deviations.

Meet one of the coolest people I know while we discuss music and good memories.