The Jump

After eight months of marriage, I’ve legally changed my name from Sara Emilia Morishige to Sara Morishige Williams. I’m proud to have Evan’s last name, yet I miss the contrast my maiden name has always provided.

“I’m Chinese, Japanese, and half Mexican.” The amount of times I’ve said this in my life seems endless. The perpetual stream of inquiries about “what I am” is because my appearance is not entirely any one of my three ethnicities.

Morishige. If you can pronounce vowels, it rolls off the tongue like butter from pancakes fresh off the griddle. I’ve theorized that people struggle with the pronunciation because they see it’s foreign and don’t want to embarrass themselves. Translated, mori means forest, and shige, abundant. I appreciate the beauty and fluidity of my maiden name both in sound and meaning, yet it is only a nod to one quarter of my whole. Nonetheless, it has historically distinguished the fact that I’m an ethnically diversified American.

The politic of what it has meant to grow up American with mixed ethnicity has been a delicate balance between being American, and managing the influences of each culture. The obligation of not letting culture die with my parents, or their parents has influenced my life and unwittingly defined my character. Customs linger on the periphery, interjecting when I allow them.

And so, here I am, with what seems to be the plainest name in the world: Sara Williams. I'm happy with it. I will remain the same person I've always been, having only lost a perceived identity, and gaining anonymity that is the antithesis of mixed ethnicity in America.

Tokyo

I thought I would start posting drawings since blogging hasn't stuck.....Evan and I were in Tokyo last week and Joi Ito took us to a fantastic restaurant named Inakaya in Roppongi. We ate a mammoth amount of food in the presence of terrific company.

One Week From Today

I'm getting married in one week. As Evan puts it, T minus seven days.

Wedding planning has been an interesting experience filled with tears and joy. In retrospect, I should have blogged the entire planning process so I could look back and laugh at the insanity of it all. Problem is, I rarely blog.

I'm writing to tell you that the wedding industry is a sham. Vendors know you are a one time customer, so there is no interest in doing what is fair. I am constantly asking if I really needed half the things we've been encouraged to have or purchase. Do we really need wax panels for $2.5K that cover unsightly kiosks? The answer is NO, and I'd like to encourage anyone planning a wedding to be liberated by pointing out the frivolity of it all. I can't say we didn't spend money on items that have defined the event, such as our beautiful invitations, but I can say that I've felt ripped off on a number of occasions.

In the end, the celebration is about the phenomenal human feeling of love which has no equal in life aside from knowing yourself (which is directly relational to one's ability to fall in love). Even though there have been events in the planning process that threatened to derail it, I'm glad we are having a wedding. When I think about growing old together, and accepting the seasons of change in both of us, I can't wait to get started. This is something to celebrate.

Thank You.

Dear Starbucks Employee,

I sincerely appreciate that you spelled my name correctly this morning. I really felt that you were listening to me.

Cheers,
Sara

Alumni Directory

Today I received my Archbishop Mitty High School Alumni Directory for 2006. I felt a little devilish as I opened and unwrapped it; ta-da. There it sat before me, shiny, undefiled, pretty, and waiting, just waiting to be utilized. Sitting before me were the listings of people who are anticipating my phone call, letter, or post card.

I looked up my old high school sweetheart (boring), then myself. In an instant, I realized that there was no one I cared to look up. I've maintained contact with the friends I had while there, and the ones I care to forget, well, I don't really care what they are doing.

I wasted fifty bucks.

also.

Evan needs this:

European Vacation

I feel confident saying that: Evan and I are going to Europe at the end of September. I base this statement on the fact that we've finally purchased our airline tickets. Prior the big purchase, my feelings about it lingered between overwhelming anticipation, and the possibility that we might not go.

Since the ticket purchase, not only can I breathe easy, but I can also allow myself to be overcome with web browsing.

My urge to research design and handbag shops has been unleashed. My browser window has too many tabs open, and I can't figure out which one is ruining my experience with its fancy flash (grrrr).

I've found a store in Amsterdam that we must visit, called droog. They have new and emerging designers, and the best high chair I’ve ever seen in my life. Even though I don’t have kids, I want one:

Frustrated

My new shiny MacBook Pro won't sync with my iBook, so after 10 attempts and troubleshooting like a PC user, I called AppleCare. At one point I said "Sir, there is an apple on my screen and you are asking me if it's a pear or an orange". They didn't fix my problem but they did however, make me laugh at myself.