LB Says Hi

"The way mom made it." This is something I will be saying for the rest of my life, just as my mom has said countless times about her mom, and my grandmother. Food for me, has always been at the forefront of family gatherings and my every day life. Mom made it a point to always have dinner together, as a family, whether we were hungry or not. We also would have Sunday Dinner every week when my grandma was still alive, and continued the tradition when it only was my grandpa. The food varied, but what I always will remember dishes like tripe (with shoyu and hot mustard), noodles, won ton, oxtail soup and steamed fish (yes, someone always did eat the eyeballs).  I remember watching my mom, aunties and grandmother sit around the table before dinner, peeling green beans or shelling shrimp. It was a group effort to prepare dinner, but it also was a time to talk with each other, something I didn't fully understand when I was younger. I used to dread when I'd have to help...

After a month or so of working at Midweek, I decided I wanted to host a dinner to allow myself to get to know my coworkers, and also to share a little bit about myself. What better way to bring folks together than by literally making them sit around a dining table with food, good enough to keep them there? So, upon planning the dinner, I thought of making something yummy and intimate. I decided on Cioppino, which I've made many times before, and was still perfecting. The date and menu were set! All that was left was the actual cooking (and cleaning, as company requires livable circumstances). Beginning any recipe requires raw ingredients. For a while, I felt like these fresh, but oh so raw, veggies. I was new to work and didn't know much about how to do my job. I also didn't know anyone at all, and no one knew much about me. There, however, was potential, as there always is in the beginning. It was my job to create purpose with these veggies! Here, I have: Italian parsl...

It's real. It's happening. I'm actually using my degree, MOM! All those years of studying and stressing over paying money to become a "writer," (well, you always can be a "writer," but actually getting paid for your writing is another feat) it was all worth it. I know I've spoken about it before, very briefly, but I've had an amazing opportunity to work for Oahu Publications, Inc. – as of last December (2014). My experience here has been indescribable, but I will try my best to give you an idea. Firstly, I work for LITERALLY the best boss any employee could ask for, Midweek Publisher Ron Nagasawa. Although I had worked under him as a freelance writer for a year, prior to this staff position, I've had the privilege of working within close-quarters, and he has truly shown me how a business should be run: Like a family. He makes it a point to praise the artists, writers and "family members" that make up The Midweek staff. He goes o...