Just Checking In — with Oliver
a series of catching up with friends, near and far
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ps. desktop is recommended for the best viewing experience! :-)
your @/.com?
how do you take your coffee/tea?
i switch between coffee and tea but if it’s a coffee type-of-day then it’s a caramel macchiato and if it’s a tea type-of-day it would be matcha with oat milk and agave syrup :)
describe your style in 3 words:
“ minimal, uniform, and normcore”
your go-to stay-home outfit?
i grew up on the other side of the world where it’s mostly warm throughout the year so despite the weather i’m always wearing shorts at home lol.
a song/album you have on repeat:
other than constantly listening to sza, here are some songs that are recently either always playing in my head or in my room:
new loved ones - toro y moi
summer holiday - wild nothing
ladies and gentleman we are floating in space - spiritualized
✹ psst… listen to the just checking in playlist on Spotify
what keeps you grounded?
taking the time in doing things that i like all by myself grounds me and, besides my family, i’d say my lifelong friends who i’ve known half of my life! not a lot of people can say that and i’m so so lucky :)
fav meal to make at home?
i’ve been on a sandwich kick lately, usual go to is vegan salami, veggies & provolone in ciabatta rolls. fresh spring rolls w/ fried tofu is also a banger!
“ i tend to like the outcome of things more when it’s less planned. ”
what/who inspires you?
this was hard to answer as i feel like ever since the pandemic, it’s been really hard to find inspiration anywhere better yet motivation to do anything. however, whenever i’m in a creative block or fashion rut, i always look in films, music, books, and japanese design for inspiration but i really don’t force it as i find that i tend to like the outcome of things more when it’s less planned.
a current hobby, and one you’ve always wanted to try:
besides drawing and painting, a hobby i used to do and that i would like start doing again would probably be taking photos with my film camera as i find the whole process more sentimental and genuine.
as for something i’d like to dip my toes in, it would probably be sewing and making clothes. maybe even cooking because all i did during lockdown last year was binge-watch cooking videos. nothing beats making something by hand! :)
what makes a home?
a home is not a house and a house is not a home; i’ve always played around with this idea in my work as an immigrant who is always questioning what my definition of a home is. to me, home is who you are before going to bed and who you want to be when you wake up. take comfort in knowing that wherever you are, you are home!✸
1 little moment that brightened your day recently?
this video of a boy and his pet goose.
✸
what are you reading/listening to/watching?
currently reading severance by ling ma for one of my classes and surprisingly enjoying it. i watched your name engraved herein directed by liu kuang-hui not too long ago and honestly 10/10 :)
fav vintage item you own?
too many! but it would probably be this camp collared linen button up that i got for $2 two years ago and this heart signet ring my mom found in a random street in italy lol.
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i’d like to bring attention to the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara, a community-supported organization dedicated to helping children and youth reach their full potential, for helping me make lasting friendships with their after school programs. growing up as an immigrant, it was difficult for me to make friends and going to their programs in middle school made me feel included and cultivated the person i am today. this is also where i met my friends who i’m still very close with to this day 🤎
