Breakfast on Sept 27, 2022

On 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…

IMPORTANT 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. But every day, thousands of…

IMPORTANT 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. But the truth is that homelessness occurs for myriad reasons…

IMPORTANT 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. But it can be difficult to know how to make the greatest…

How 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…

Secretly 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. Still, other women feel (secretly…

All 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. …

Things 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…

Sometimes 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. I’m not calling it war…