*Jay-Z voice* Allow me to reintroduce myself.
As I've mentioned before, I'm going to spend the rest of the summer trying to get my blogging going again, but instead of writing about how I want to blog more, I'm simply just going to *Shia LaBeouf voice* DO IT. I'll blog more. Sounds like a solid plan, right?
Here we go!
It's been about a year since I was somewhat consistently updating this and so much has changed since then. So I'd like to bring this blog up to speed, and then perhaps go backward and reflect, even as we keep moving forward. (Basically, if I want to write about some person, place, or thing, I'll find
make time to write about it.)
This has been quite a busy but productive summer, as I've been working as a marketing intern at the corporate headquarters of a credit union in the Bay Area. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity because there couldn't have been a more perfect time for me to join the marketing team. A lot of new projects, exciting partnerships, and great events have been taking place and I've gotten to help with so much! There's a lot I could say about how much this internship has taught me so feel free to ask me in person :) In case you haven't already realized, I love talking about professional experiences, career goals, and life in general with others. I just really enjoy conversation and I geek out over this stuff.
I spend most of my time working (no complaints, I seriously love what I'm doing and cannot thank my employer enough), but when I'm not, I've been enjoying my weekends with my family and friends from home that I almost never get to see.
In fact, before I even started interning, I was fortunately to have attended Live 105's annual BFD music festival with my cousins and my brother, where I finally got to see Of Monsters and Men and Panic! at the Disco perform, after years of trying to see them.
Twenty One Pilots was also phenomenal live and I would definitely recommend seeing them if you can! They had such a strong stage presence throughout their entire set and their interaction with the crowd was great. You could feel the energy radiating from the artists to the huge crowd and then reflecting back to Twenty One Pilots. If I ever get the chance to see them on tour again, I'd definitely plan on being there. Eleven hours of music with the people I love most in this world? Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. I'll probably create a separate BFD-post with some of the pictures and videos I have in the next few days :)
When it comes to news, current events, and HISTORY, an amazing thing happened about a month ago. #LoveWon and it's about time that it did. I remember the news breaking out on Twitter while I was at work and how overwhelmingly happy I was after the new broke out. Thank you Supreme Court for pushing this country in another important step in the right direction. It was another special and beautiful year participating in San Francisco Pride, especially following the landmark court decision. The celebration was wonderful, but I think it's important to remember that love may have won that round, but the battle is far from over. Equality forward.
During the July 4th weekend following SF Pride, my family and I took a trip to the city and hiked Land's End Trail really early in the morning before heading to the Walt Disney Family Museum. I hadn't known it existed until last month, which is a fact that shames me because Disney has been such a big part of my life. But what matters is that I eventually learned about it and immediately brought my family there, so no complaints.
It goes without saying that I enjoyed the few hours we spent there, reading more about the history of Disney and the genius himself. I absolutely loved reading some of the awards and certificates he received because he rightfully earned his place into everyone's hearts through his storytelling and animation. It made a difference in people's lives - it made a difference in my life - and that is so important. I cannot thank Disney enough for the magic it's personally given me. Tears may or may not have been shed when we came to the exhibits regarding his dead and the resulting global mourning.
These are just a few of the exciting things I've been able to experience this summer and I'll do some photo-sharing soon! Overall, even though I really miss Long Beach at times, it's always great to be home. I'm really growing professionally thanks to my internship, which is more than I could ask for during the summer before my senior year of college.
Speaking of school, I cannot believe I finished my junior year and that graduation will be here before I know it.
More reflecting to come soon!
Also, I may have titled this blog because I thought I was clever by using Jay-Z's song, but I guess it sort of is a PSA. I'm back!
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
So what do I do or hope to accomplish with my life?
Ask me “What do you do?” and I'll have the urge to tell you that I am a communicator.
But what does that even mean?
As time passes and I continue to grow and develop personally and professionally, I find that my career goals are constantly changing with me. Details of my life and career aspirations start to transform with time. And that’s perfectly fine. Normal, even.
At the heart of all that I enjoy doing – and I enjoy doing many, many things – is my love of communication, both written and spoken. My affinity for words and human connection are what lie at the foundation of my being. Since I was in elementary school, I knew deep down that what I wanted out of life and my job was to make a difference with this passion.
My job title – journalist, public relations professional, marketer, social media specialist, blogger, etc. – will most likely continue to fluctuate over time, especially when societal and technological advancements come into play. I could be connecting a publication to its audience, an organization to the people it serves or simply (albeit importantly) one human being to another. The channels carrying this communication will range from newspapers to online publications to Facebook or Twitter, and much, much more. I expect that all of this will continue to transform with me.
But despite these variations, the rush I get when I'm even just a little successful in bringing people together in any way, shape, or form, will never change.
So when you ask me what I do, I may answer with any one of the above job titles or perhaps something different.
But my favorite answer to that question? Easy.
I am a writer, a talker, a listener, a communicator. An ambitious millennial who thrives on human connection and her own curiosity. And I am so excited (though undoubtedly nervous at times) to see where this passion steers me in my career and in life.
This post may be interpreted as vague but this is just one of the many perspectives I have on answering the unavoidable "So what do you do/want to do?" question. I could go on about specific short term goals or certain things I want to accomplish :)
But what does that even mean?
As time passes and I continue to grow and develop personally and professionally, I find that my career goals are constantly changing with me. Details of my life and career aspirations start to transform with time. And that’s perfectly fine. Normal, even.
At the heart of all that I enjoy doing – and I enjoy doing many, many things – is my love of communication, both written and spoken. My affinity for words and human connection are what lie at the foundation of my being. Since I was in elementary school, I knew deep down that what I wanted out of life and my job was to make a difference with this passion.
My job title – journalist, public relations professional, marketer, social media specialist, blogger, etc. – will most likely continue to fluctuate over time, especially when societal and technological advancements come into play. I could be connecting a publication to its audience, an organization to the people it serves or simply (albeit importantly) one human being to another. The channels carrying this communication will range from newspapers to online publications to Facebook or Twitter, and much, much more. I expect that all of this will continue to transform with me.
But despite these variations, the rush I get when I'm even just a little successful in bringing people together in any way, shape, or form, will never change.
So when you ask me what I do, I may answer with any one of the above job titles or perhaps something different.
But my favorite answer to that question? Easy.
I am a writer, a talker, a listener, a communicator. An ambitious millennial who thrives on human connection and her own curiosity. And I am so excited (though undoubtedly nervous at times) to see where this passion steers me in my career and in life.
This post may be interpreted as vague but this is just one of the many perspectives I have on answering the unavoidable "So what do you do/want to do?" question. I could go on about specific short term goals or certain things I want to accomplish :)
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Comin' Back
I can't believe it's been more than six months since I last posted something here. Half a year has flown by and there is so much to be said, so much to be reflected on. There are so many stories I would love to share here and thoughts I'd love to explore by writing, which is my favorite hobby, as you know.
Expect several blog posts in the near future (and consistently afterward)!
Until we meet again (soon, I promise),
Justine
Saturday, January 3, 2015
"Smile, my boy. It's sunrise."
These were Robin William's last lines (as Teddy Roosevelt) in his last film and I almost cried.
Earlier tonight (well, yesterday now that it's passed midnight) I watched Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb with my parents and my brother.
We watched the last two Night at the Museum movies together so I think of it as a mini tradition! I've always really enjoyed watching these films and I partially attribute that to my love of history and/or historical references.
In the third installment of this movie series, museum nightlife director Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) travels to England with beloved friends (Robin Williams' Teddy Roosevelt and Owen Wilson's Jedediah) in a quest to solve the secret of the tomb (no way!) and save the magic that brings the museum dwellers to life in the evening. While attempting to stop them from remaining as wax figures for eternity, Larry also has to deal with his son's plans for the future.
The gang also meets new friends at the British museum, including Dan Stevens' Sir Lancelot and the hilarious Rebel Wilson's Tilly, among others. These additional characters were great; the only one slightly overdone was Laaa, a caveman also portrayed by Stiller.
Overall, it was a fun, family-friendly movie, as all the Night at the Museum movies are. It spotlighted the theme of learning to let go and move on and also highlighted how museums can teach and inspire, which I loved.
I couldn't stop thinking about how much I miss Robin Williams and the fact that "For Robin Williams: Magic Never Ends" played before the credits made me very emotional as well. Such a great last film for a remarkable and influential actor that is so dearly missed.
Heck, I wouldn't mind watching another Night at the Museum film, but maybe that's just me. Overall, I'd probably give this one a 4 out of 5!
Earlier tonight (well, yesterday now that it's passed midnight) I watched Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb with my parents and my brother.
We watched the last two Night at the Museum movies together so I think of it as a mini tradition! I've always really enjoyed watching these films and I partially attribute that to my love of history and/or historical references.
In the third installment of this movie series, museum nightlife director Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) travels to England with beloved friends (Robin Williams' Teddy Roosevelt and Owen Wilson's Jedediah) in a quest to solve the secret of the tomb (no way!) and save the magic that brings the museum dwellers to life in the evening. While attempting to stop them from remaining as wax figures for eternity, Larry also has to deal with his son's plans for the future.
The gang also meets new friends at the British museum, including Dan Stevens' Sir Lancelot and the hilarious Rebel Wilson's Tilly, among others. These additional characters were great; the only one slightly overdone was Laaa, a caveman also portrayed by Stiller.
Overall, it was a fun, family-friendly movie, as all the Night at the Museum movies are. It spotlighted the theme of learning to let go and move on and also highlighted how museums can teach and inspire, which I loved.
I couldn't stop thinking about how much I miss Robin Williams and the fact that "For Robin Williams: Magic Never Ends" played before the credits made me very emotional as well. Such a great last film for a remarkable and influential actor that is so dearly missed.
Heck, I wouldn't mind watching another Night at the Museum film, but maybe that's just me. Overall, I'd probably give this one a 4 out of 5!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Say everything you've always wanted
Be not afraid of who you really are. Cause in the end we have each other, and that's at least one thing worth living for.
December 31st means watching Rent and listening to This is the New Year at least fifteen times. Check and check.
I'm sure I've said this before, and I'm positive that I will say this many more times to come, but I'm going to say it now anyway:
2014 was a tremendous year and undoubtedly the year I've experienced the most growth - as a student, as a young professional, and as a person.
(I sure hope I give myself reasons to say this more in the future.)
This was the year I danced tinikling for CSULB PAC's 29th annual Pilipino Cultural Night, the year I had the amazing opportunities of writing for the USA Today College and interning for Intern Queen, Inc., the year I started my junior year of college, and the year I was welcomed into an amazing family called Zeta Mu Beta. All in all, I learned so much more about who I am as a person and what I'm looking for in life.
I also turned 20 this year. What?
There's so much to reflect on and discuss, so I'm not going to try to remember everything right now. I'm a bit saddened I haven't updated since September, but I'll make sure to make up for it in the year to come. Be on the look out for some more in depth blog posts in the next few days!
Thanks 2014 for being so good to me. I'm confident 2015 will be even greater.
Happy New Year, everyone!
December 31st means watching Rent and listening to This is the New Year at least fifteen times. Check and check.
I'm sure I've said this before, and I'm positive that I will say this many more times to come, but I'm going to say it now anyway:
2014 was a tremendous year and undoubtedly the year I've experienced the most growth - as a student, as a young professional, and as a person.
(I sure hope I give myself reasons to say this more in the future.)
This was the year I danced tinikling for CSULB PAC's 29th annual Pilipino Cultural Night, the year I had the amazing opportunities of writing for the USA Today College and interning for Intern Queen, Inc., the year I started my junior year of college, and the year I was welcomed into an amazing family called Zeta Mu Beta. All in all, I learned so much more about who I am as a person and what I'm looking for in life.
I also turned 20 this year. What?
There's so much to reflect on and discuss, so I'm not going to try to remember everything right now. I'm a bit saddened I haven't updated since September, but I'll make sure to make up for it in the year to come. Be on the look out for some more in depth blog posts in the next few days!
Thanks 2014 for being so good to me. I'm confident 2015 will be even greater.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Yes please to strawberries and feta cheese: a simple salad recipe
This post is the first installment of my "college student with basic food abilities attempts to cook as she begins her 20s" series.
I am by no means a chef or food expert, so I promised myself that during this school year (and beyond), I would do more grocery shopping and learn how to prepare a variety of foods. No more relying solely - solely being a key word -on pasta, sandwiches and eggs to be my main form of sustenance - though there's nothing wrong with those foods. It just gets tiresome eating variations of them every single day.
Now that I finally have my car with me, frequent trips to the grocery store are now possible. I've been to Food 4 Less (among other markets) at least twice a week for the last three weeks. Pretty awesome.
In light of this, I recently asked my cousin to provide me with the ingredients for her mom's strawberry and feta cheese salad. She often makes this salad for family parties and when she does, I eat at least 10 bowls of it.
Not even exaggerating. I mean, look at it -- how can you not want to devour this?
I enjoy eating all kinds of salad (I'm a fruit and veggie person), but this is definitely one of my favorites. The strawberries add sweetness, the greens add that healthy crunch and the balsamic vinaigrette adds another rich flavor without overpowering the other tastes. A similar statement can be made about oriental chicken salad, but I have yet to make that one from scratch.
I thought I'd share this really simple recipe in case anyone who wants to try it.
WHAT YOU NEED:
WHAT YOU DO:
I know I didn't have to actually touch the stove or oven, but I'm happy I took the time to make a salad from scratch instead of buying one or purchasing a prepared bag.
What are your favorite simple meals? Any other salad recipe suggestions? Perhaps I will attempt a recommendation in the future!
I am by no means a chef or food expert, so I promised myself that during this school year (and beyond), I would do more grocery shopping and learn how to prepare a variety of foods. No more relying solely - solely being a key word -on pasta, sandwiches and eggs to be my main form of sustenance - though there's nothing wrong with those foods. It just gets tiresome eating variations of them every single day.
Now that I finally have my car with me, frequent trips to the grocery store are now possible. I've been to Food 4 Less (among other markets) at least twice a week for the last three weeks. Pretty awesome.
In light of this, I recently asked my cousin to provide me with the ingredients for her mom's strawberry and feta cheese salad. She often makes this salad for family parties and when she does, I eat at least 10 bowls of it.
Not even exaggerating. I mean, look at it -- how can you not want to devour this?
 |
| Strawberry and feta cheese salad. |
I thought I'd share this really simple recipe in case anyone who wants to try it.
WHAT YOU NEED:
- greens of your choice - I simply used Romaine lettuce and a bit of cilantro
- strawberries
- crumbled feta cheese
- cherry tomatoes (though as you see, there are no tomatoes in the picture because as much as I love them, I do not enjoy eating them in my salads)
- balsamic vinaigrette (or vinegar)
- large bowl
- chopping board
- knife
- tongs/salad mixer
- fork or spoon (optional, if you don't mind touching cheese)
 |
| Simple ingredients, delicious meal. |
- Gather all your materials. (Obviously.)
- Thoroughly rinse your fruits and vegetables.
- Cut the lettuce into smaller pieces. I simply ripped the pieces with my clean hands but you can cut them on a chopping board if you're fancy. Place into salad bowl.
- Cut other vegetables you plan on using in your salad. For me, that meant a few leaves of cilantro. Place into bowl.
- Slice strawberries and place into bowl.
- Toss salad with tongs and attempt to evenly distribute fruits and vegetables. I say "attempt" because my poor strawberries kept sinking to the bottom of my bowl.
- Afterwards, use a fork, spoon or your hand to sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on the salad.
- Toss the salad again before repeating step 6.
- Repeat step 7.
- Wa-la!
 |
| A quick and easy-to-make meal! |
I know I didn't have to actually touch the stove or oven, but I'm happy I took the time to make a salad from scratch instead of buying one or purchasing a prepared bag.
What are your favorite simple meals? Any other salad recipe suggestions? Perhaps I will attempt a recommendation in the future!
A warm welcome into the InternQueen family: reflections on an exciting first week of interning
Last week was great for two main reasons. Labor Day weekend provided me with an ample amount of time to get myself organized, accomplish some homework and relax.
On a more exciting note, I started interning with InternQueen on Tuesday!
The IQ team includes CEO/founder Lauren Berger (the Intern Queen herself); Digital Marketing Manager Lindsey Day and Campus Programs Manager Shayna Dunitz; former interns and now junior executives Savira and Michelle; and my fellow fall 2014 interns Brooke and Kelly. Of course there are campus ambassadors and others who are part of the entire IQ team, but these ladies are the main women I am privileged to work closely with.
These ladies are inspiring professionals who are passionate about what they do. All of them were very helpful when it came to making sure my fellow interns and I knew how to executive our jobs. I definitely felt welcome into the close-knit IQ family.
However, as someone who is also studying public relations, communications and marketing, those differences are great and well-desired. I have a few experiences in these fields and I'm ready to build up on them.
What a thrill it is to be a part of the IQ family! I'm excited to continue learning from and alongside them as the semester continues to unfold.
Check out this mug I purchased over the weekend! The crown (in my favorite color) obviously represents InternQueen and I am excited to use it during my workdays this week.
On a more exciting note, I started interning with InternQueen on Tuesday!
SO happy to have our Fall #interns starting this week! Welcome, @_justinepaige @kmshayes and @bmills_618 :) #IQFamily
— Lauren Berger (@InternQueen) September 2, 2014
I was eager to join the InternQueen team even before I started working last week, but my three days of interning solidified that I'm going to attain important career wisdom while growing as a young professional during my IQ journey. I've already learned a lot during my first week and there's so much more to learn. I'm definitely excited.The IQ team includes CEO/founder Lauren Berger (the Intern Queen herself); Digital Marketing Manager Lindsey Day and Campus Programs Manager Shayna Dunitz; former interns and now junior executives Savira and Michelle; and my fellow fall 2014 interns Brooke and Kelly. Of course there are campus ambassadors and others who are part of the entire IQ team, but these ladies are the main women I am privileged to work closely with.
These ladies are inspiring professionals who are passionate about what they do. All of them were very helpful when it came to making sure my fellow interns and I knew how to executive our jobs. I definitely felt welcome into the close-knit IQ family.
Kind of obsessed with our #InternQueenTeam and #InternQueenFamily...that's all :) We get it DONE!
— Lauren Berger (@InternQueen) September 5, 2014
This week was a bit overwhelming - not in a bad way, of course - because as I briefly mentioned in a previous blog post, my work as an IQ intern entails tasks and responsibilities that are different from the bulk of my professional career thus far, which has been centered on journalism and working for news publications.However, as someone who is also studying public relations, communications and marketing, those differences are great and well-desired. I have a few experiences in these fields and I'm ready to build up on them.
What a thrill it is to be a part of the IQ family! I'm excited to continue learning from and alongside them as the semester continues to unfold.
Check out this mug I purchased over the weekend! The crown (in my favorite color) obviously represents InternQueen and I am excited to use it during my workdays this week.
 |
| My new InternQueen mug! |
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