Project LOLA
She measured 5’1”, probably closer to 4’11” hunched over, from years of back-breaking labor in the full-sun of the Maui cornfields. With a formal education that stopped around the 4th grade before she stayed home to help her family (as one of the eldest of 6), my Lilang (or Lola) was one of the hardest-working people I knew.
Anastacia. A name full of grace, a spirit undeniably pure, and an energy so humble. I was her shadow. Named in her honor (Ana Stacie), how could I not be?
She and Grampa made the brave move East across the Pacific in 1964, from humble Ilocos Sur, Philippines, to the rapidly-developing Hawai’i, to make a better life for their two young sons. Regardless of the start and end points, it’s a story countless families worldwide share at some point in the generational timeline.
My dad, the younger of the two, inherited both of his parents’ expectations of educational excellence for their children. While he would rather have spent his days surfing than studying (can you blame him?), that admittedly stereotypical Asian parent persona was ingrained. Thus, I was raised to always strive for said educational excellence.
From GATE to honors to AP classes, I pushed to always be at the top of my class, often leading to panic attacks in high school of trying to meet an imaginary benchmark.
So where along the way did I let go of the joys of learning just to learn?
Enter: Project LOLA.
Also known as Love of Learning, Always.
Because I needed to give myself permission again to learn just for the sake of learning something new. Something that interests me or that simply seems really FUN.
Not to immediately turn it into a side hustle. (More on that in another post)
Not to attain unattainable perfection.
Definitely not to prove something to anyone else.
Just (exhale) to enjoy the act of learning.
(And for my Lola, who never stopped just because her formal education did.)
So what have I been up to?
Flipped my Duolingo language to Japanese after over a year streak with Spanish. Nihongo wa omoshiroi de su!
Many comically flat and/or dense sourdough “loaves” (if we can give grace and use that term loosely). Trial and lots of error have gotten a better hold of what my starters, Bred Zeppelin and David Dowie, like and don’t like. They are ‘70s divas who have lots of big emotions.
CROCHET! I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of remarkable fiber artists, and let me tell you, crochet has always been so intimidating. Turns out, it’s super duper easy to get the basic stitches down, and even relaxing to my ADHD brain. Imagine that.
Reading fiction books. But like, actual hand-held paper books with that delicious smell and the subtle sound of pages turning. It was time to remember how good it feels to get lost in someone else’s story.
And what’s up next?
Heels class. I was without a doubt a burlesque dancer in a past life. What a fun, sexy way to enjoy being in your own skin!
Studying the indigenous cultures of the Philippines. Especially tattoo artists and medicine women.
How about you? What have you learned this year that made you a cooler human just by learning it?
And what’s up next?