Sep 27, 2022Breakfast on Sept 27, 2022I told my daughter that I kept missing sneezes and that’s why my eyes were watering because I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I was on the verge of tears every few minutes during breakfast for no apparent reason. Because I didn’t want to tell her that her mama felt like she had lost her way. Because I know she would have dropped everything including the piece of toast perched on her little, buttery fingers to try to help me get back.Motherhood1 min readMotherhood1 min read
Apr 20, 2021A Letter From the Future to 30 Year Old MeOn Children, A Pandemic, A Divorce, and Being Asian to Celebrate My 40th Birthday Dearest 30 Year Old Nami, Happy belated birthday and congratulations on your engagement! You’re only four months away from tying the knot. Didn’t think it would ever happen, did you? If we had told 20 year old Nami she would be engaged and living in Los Angeles in ten years…Divorce8 min readDivorce8 min read
Published inThe Right to Shower·Mar 10, 2020What It’s Like Living on the Street: A Day in the Life of an Unsheltered PersonIMPORTANT NOTE: This story was written by John Lingan with minor edits by Nami Matsuo. For most of us, homelessness is unimaginable. We take for granted that we’ll be able to meet our daily needs of safety, food, shelter, and companionship without facing incredible obstacles. …Homeless3 min readHomeless3 min read
Published inThe Right to Shower·Mar 3, 2020The Surprising Causes of HomelessnessIMPORTANT NOTE: This story was written by Amanda Kohr with minor edits by Nami Matsuo. When we see a person experiencing homelessness on the street, it can be easy to jump to all sorts of conclusions about their life choices. …Homeless3 min readHomeless3 min read
Published inThe Right to Shower·Feb 25, 20207 Practical Ways You Can Help People Experiencing HomelessnessIMPORTANT NOTE: This story was written by John Lingan with minor edits by Nami Matsuo. There’s never a good time to lack shelter. The sight of someone on the street compels us to make an effort to help. …Homelessness3 min readHomelessness3 min read
Mar 10, 2017Frontiers of Adulting: Joint Bank Accounts for the Fiercely IndependentHow do you share money with someone after years of only saving and spending for yourself? — If you’re anything like me, you were taught to be an independent person; equipped to fend for and support themselves in all aspect — physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially — because you never know what may happen. (Apocalypse!) A little extreme, sure…but then again my father is a fierce business…Money5 min readMoney5 min read
Mar 8, 2017That Parenting Life: You Are No Less of a Mother or Woman Because You Had a C-SectionSecretly or not, some are disappointed in themselves because they ended up with a c-section instead of a natural birth — So, after delivering my daughter via c-section and spending inordinate amounts of time on the Internet researching all things postpartum, I realized that there were women out there who, after planning for a natural birth and ending up with a c-section, are disappointed in themselves. …Pregnancy8 min readPregnancy8 min read
Feb 20, 2017Dear Daughter: Why I Stopped My Secret Beauty Ritual After 20 YearsAll it took was a baby daughter to open my eyes to how ridiculous I was being. — Dear Daughter, There are so many things you’ve taught me and you can’t even walk or talk yet. It’s really astounding. How can such a small and vulnerable being shift mountains in the world of my priorities? Because I love you more than anything and anyone ever and forever. …Feminism5 min readFeminism5 min read
Feb 14, 2017That Parenting Life: The Truth About BreastfeedingThings no one tells you about keeping your baby alive with your boobs. Here are 10 to start. — People say breastfeeding can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. And I’m here to tell you that, sure, it’s rewarding, but it’s more than that because it is, quite possibly, one of the hardest things you’ll ever do and when it’s done, you’ll look back at…Breastfeeding9 min readBreastfeeding9 min read
Feb 10, 2017Frontiers of Adulting: Kindness is a MuscleSometimes making a relationship last is as simple as being nice — Now, I don’t know about you, but when the words “Love is a Battlefield” come up in casual conversation (which they totally do because we’re all always talking about Pat Benatar, right?), I can’t help but take a moment to revel in its absolute truth. …Life Lessons7 min readLife Lessons7 min read
