Just before summer of 2014, I started eating grapefruit, again. I say again because prior to this, I only had it at home, where it was always pre-cut or squeezed as juice to drink. It pained me when I cut this one particular grapefruit and saw that I went too far in and cut fruit away with the skin. Ironically I paired this “mistake” with some of my favorite glitter letters and wrote “JOY.” I shared a pic I took with my phone on Instagram and it made people happy and that was a great outcome! Cutting grapefruit is a lot of effort and a lot of times, real little fruit. In a single sitting I can eat something twice as fast as it took me to cut out all the spears. BUT, I will STILL do it. In a lot of things, you work hard and you reap benefits. In this case, I get to enjoy the fruit of my labor but  sometimes you never will.

There have been a few times this year that I felt I worked really hard on something and didn’t get the recognition or fulfillment I thought I would feel at the end of the project. I wasn’t able to enjoy the fruit. Instead, I felt like something was lost or missing throughout the process. This feeling, often coming out of stress and frustration, is unenjoyable.  There is no point in complaining to someone (but it might be okay if you keep it to a minimum). Instead, I am learned to try to stay positive. To really look at the bright side or how these stressful, less-exciting experiences can help me learn for next time. Everything has a lesson embedded into it and it’s our job to listen and learn from one of our first teachers–ourselves. Although not everything can be perfect, I do want to see the JOY in the good, the bad and the great-fruit.

Ping: “What are you doing?”

Me: “Work”

Ping: “But you don’t have other work, except for me! …and the other guys that you babysit.”

A lot of my 2014, and the last three years has been getting to know this kid that goes by Ping. His Mama, Paweena,  and I met in school and I’m glad we did. The two of them and their +1, Eric, have become family here in NYC. When Ping tells me that he is my work, he’s right. However, I don’t see him as  work.  Ping has brought a lot of fun to my daily routine. He is honest, open, and lovable. He wears his heart on his sleeve. When he’s upset, I know it, but when he’s happy, he is beaming. He sometimes pulls the jerk card, but mostly not. After all, he is a kid so that is allowed. Working with and around Ping has been a challenge. Always making it to school by 2:30PM so he doesn’t have to wait in “office jail” for his lame sitter,  but at the same time working up to the very last second to make the most of the morning. Then sometimes sitting like a buddha at the school playground, laptop out and designing underway while soccer balls come a little too close to hitting my computer screen. I’ve taken phone calls while paying for snacks at the corner deli and sent e-mails from the free wi-fi at his fight school gym.

All of this has mostly been a blessing. A blessing that I am able to do my work, while spending time with a kid that reminds me about the importance of stopping computer time to make time to play a card game or think about all the powers of “mythical creatures.” Ping reminds me that it’s okay to eat Nacho Cheese Doritos because they are actually pretty good and that it is okay to break the rules. Ping reminds me to never set limits because there are none in his imagination. He tells me stories that make no sense and sometimes I just say “yeah sure” even though I can’t follow. Ping’s creative nature and fun-loving spirit is something I hope he never loses. He’s growing up to be a little man (with the guidance from awesome Mama and Eric)  and I’m lucky to witness greatness in the making.

From age 10-25 these guys (and a bunch of other guys too) have been around for me. A bunch of us gathered in Austin, Texas in October for #bigDs25 birthday celebration. Not sure how he got seven friends, from five different states to fly in for one weekend, but it happened. Being away from my life-long friends for so long, I realized how some things never change–and that is a good thing. We get back together after being apart for months, even years for some and nothing is different. We are back in 7th grade making jokes, rolling our eyes, and pushing each other to our limits. But hey, what are friends for. These guys pulled me through a lot of good and changing times. They are the constant to the equation and I am so thankful for them. We may not all talk that often or get to be in each other’s presence long, but they are home. We have a special group of friends going and I’m not sure how they feel about me, but I’ll be there for them and with them, till the end.

Eight months have passed since the last time I re-commited myself to this blog. Now that we are into the last month of 2014, before the end of the year officially comes and goes, I wanted to re-commit  to this again. I would hate to say I have a problem with commitment (because I don’t think I do). Rather than typing my thoughts, I’ve been taking pen to paper and writing them. Sketching. Scratching out. Re-writing, but never really re-reading. What is done is done. I experienced firsts and lasts and learned to embrace all of it.

There has been a lot of change that has happened in 2014. Things are evolving into something I am not sure what will be, yet. Matsumoto Studio is growing and as I celebrated another year of living (quarter century, woo!), life is changing too. There are new responsibilities, new efforts being made, and new challenges to overcome. For what’s left of 2014, I will try my best to recap and reflect for the only way to go from here is forward. Shakas up.

Now that we are three months in to 2014, the time has come to recommit to this personal blog. Last year, I made it a challenge to post something everyday, or two days, and I did well. This year, with an overloaded phone, a career path taking shape, and just life, it was a little harder for me to do that. Something that I want to change from here on out. My life has been busy with work (the stuff that pays the bills) and also keeping up with Matsumoto Studio. My sister and I are fortunate enough to have a lot going on right now, so if I am not here, find me on our other blog, the adventures of annie & flo! With spring in the air, and the Macy’s Flower Show in full bloom, so will be the start of something new here. A new chapter of the life of jenmatsumoto–even I can’t wait to see what happens next.

The post have been scarce, the work hasn’t been updated but I haven’t felt more right in the things I’ve been doing. Sure there could be more (FT job) but if there was that, would I be making coasters? After an overwhelming positive response from family, friends, and friends of friends, I started making time “once in a lifetime” coasters for gifts. Things don’t always come how you plan but you just go with it. I might think I’m lost on “coaster-nation” but maybe I’m actually going down the road that was meant to be. So far it feels good. While it makes me nervous to not know where this will go, I also feel excited about the uncertainty as it makes everything that much more exciting.

As an Ohio newbie I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, after the very short weekend I did gain a new perspective on many things—people, places and patents. An open mind can take you far but acting on it might take you farther.