Lantern Making - Chinatown

One summer day a few years ago, Charles brought me to volunteer with the Chinese American Museum to "volunteer downtown". I remember thinking, isn't that kind of dangerous?! Although I had gone to college in Los Angeles, I had never really traveled further east than Fairfax or La Cienega, and that was just to eat. Right, I'm the biggest wuss of a New Yorker, and don't I know it!!

Come to think of it, all of the culturally significant things that I've ever done in my life have been inspired by Charles. He's one of those people that suggests "Do you want to attend a protest?" as easily as most say "Do you want to have coffee?"

So the Chinese American Museum had a booth out at some festival and they were volunteers were teaching kids how to make lanterns out of construction paper with a little ingenious scissorwork. I got to hang out with some of the most gorgeous children in the world and participate in arts and crafts, which honestly I never remember doing as a child. Too busy getting lost on subways and getting my sideways ponytail caught in doors..  Anyways, I'm really embracing the idea of childhood in LA being a really happy and positive experience. I think it's the later years that are challenging out here.

Anyhow, it was such a great experience, and this summer, I vow to a bit more of that, in between volunteering at Project Angel Food and trying to figure out how to start a microfinance club at school. But I wish Charles were around to keep me company!