Klouds Pre release / New friends / Old Friends

Somewhat standard week. I’ve been getting ready for my Asia trip. Also been prepping for my new song releasing on 6/10.

To that end I’ve been doing more photo/video stuff. Made a tiktok with my new Youtuber friend David. Also did a little photoshoot with my new photographer friend Richie. After having worked on my EP alone for so long it’s pretty fun to make stuff with other people.

I have a few other collaborations planned.

  • Working on a song with another new friend Sam

  • Planning a photoshoot for one of my upcoming singles with my photographer friend Jessica

  • Commissioning album art from my artist friend Glo

Pretty excited. It’s also cool that I’ve met so many different people from different groups. E.g.

  • David I met at a potluck for Asian American artists

  • Richie I met while volunteering at the NY Public Library’s recording studio program

  • Sam I met through a musical improv class

  • Jess I met at work

  • And Glo and I go way back from work two jobs ago

I think that’s a testament to the energy and variety of living in NYC. But it’s also because I’ve explored a lot of random things during my time here.

New Friends / Old Friends??

Lately I’ve been feeling that it’s hard to sustain friendships. It may be a NY specific thing since there are so many people here, but it’s hard to choose between meeting new people and maintaining/growing the friendships you currently have.

I also think there’s an element of vulnerability in growing a new friendship that doesn’t come easily to me. Reaching out week after week to a brand new person in the hopes that this friendship will last. But it feels like the right thing to do. Something to get better at.

The good part of meeting so many people is you get a sense somewhat quickly whether you vibe with someone or not. Instead of getting distracted by every new potential friendship that comes along—maybe it’s more important to lean into the friends you vibe with the most.

Anyways, I’m glad to get back into the swing of writing.

Some other highlights since I last wrote

  • Went to Murray Hill with David, Candace, Won, and Sarah. We went to Myung San to try their raw marinated crab. Tbh a little underwhelmed. The crabs were hard shelled and not easy to eat. The marinade was saltier when I prefer it to be a little sweeter. The gopchang here was pretty good though and fun hang overall. We all went to Land to Sea afterwards to check out one of their friend’s zine launch

  • Watched a Second City show with Ben. First part of the show was notably bad but they had a great redemption arc and by the end of the show it totally felt like a proper SECOND CITY show.

  • Took a DJ class. My company has a DJ club where some coworkers give lessons on how to DJ.

  • Double header volleyball team. Won 5/6 games. Feels good 😎

  • Biked from LIC to the Bronx with Chaitya and Richie. Perhaps because I haven’t worked out while sick but my body was wrecked by the return trip.