"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
[[ HOPEFLY :: the warm souls project ]]
***********************************************************************
In the winter of 2006, the concept for the non-profit
project: h.o.p.e.fly was born. The main goal is empowering young people to
realize their potential through the arts and helping the youth of this world
share their unique gifts and abilities. It's incredible the hidden greatness
that exists before our very eyes! All it takes is not overlooking what's right
in front of us.
That being said, our country faces a challenge right
now. Hurricane Sandy has devastated the eastern seaboard, causing tremendous
damage and displacing so many residents near coastal communities.
New York City was hit particularly hard. With winter
approaching, the cold snap bites harder as some residents are still without
heat and electricity to warm them. Worse off are the overlooked ones - the
homeless and needy - whose only access to such comfort is in the overflowing
shelters and rescue missions.
Through h.o.p.e.fly’s "warm souls" project,
I've organized several coat drives to provide a little warmth for the victims
of Hurricane Sandy. Here in Los Angeles, we've gathered almost three full boxes of
coats, jackets, and sweaters. With boxes set up in the valley at J.A.M.
(Joining All Movement Gym) and the Aaron Speiser Acting Studio in West
Hollywood, the generosity of the City of Angels has shone brightly.
With this being the sunshine state, the project beamed
down to Orange County. In Fountain Valley, we have a box posted up at Bella Vi Spa for
the locals to donate their old warm clothes. And now, we have mirrors
reflecting this light on the east coast!
Richmond, VA and Philadelphia, PA were the first east coast
cities to follow suit. In both locations, good-hearted souls are gathering items
and filling boxes for those in need in New York. The light continues to stream
upwards to Washington D.C. and the northern Virginia metro area, where locals are
also contributing to the cause.
On November 19th, I'm boarding a plane at LAX with all
the boxes we've filled up over here. Crossing the nation and landing at
Washington's Dulles airport, I've rented a van to pick up the boxes that the
northern Virginians and Richmonders have prepared. From there, I'm trekking
north with a stop in Philadelphia to pick up another box, and then…New York
bound!
Once in Manhattan, I'll be delivering all the donated
items to Catholic Charities of New York as well as The NYC Rescue Mission. The
goal is to achieve all of this before November 22nd, so that when folks leave
Thanksgiving dinner at the shelter, they'll have a warm meal in their stomachs
and warm clothes on their backs.
Here's where I need your help. I’m doing this all out of my
own pocket, and it’s adding up! From the airfare ($500), the shipping costs (at
least $25 per box), to the van rental ($400), to the gas (who knows!)…
So please spread the word out to businesses and
anyone who may be willing to toss a couple dollars toward the cause. Any
contribution will help tremendously.
Everything you are doing counts and I'll do my best to
record it so you can see how your presence in this world is truly making it a
better place.
Many thanks,
Alex Huynh
P.S. Here's some examples of what we've accomplished so far...please Like us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/events/557240320968531/
 |
| Richmond, VA |
Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Mysterious Ways
[This entry was written prior to Hurricane Sandy devastating the east coast. Obviously my scenario is nothing in comparison to what my family and friends back east are going through and my thoughts and prayers are with all of them during this recovery period]
Tucked comfortably now into my upright seat on a flight to eastside America, I'm smiling from my random run-in at LAX with a friend I haven't seen in almost three years. Life can be funny like that sometimes...where random occurrences give way to pleasant surprises.
Take these past couple weeks, for instance. The story starts with me and some homies reconnecting at the Abbot Kinney festival in Venice Beach. Hopping on our bikes, my buddies Matt Berberi, Jon Foo, and myself cruised the streets of Venice looking to make our lazy Sunday a funday.
Laughing and pedaling for about 7 hours, we called it a night around 1AM and headed to our respective homes. As I careened into my driveway, I noticed a small post-it note on my door.
"Hi, a water pipe broke in my apartment but the plumber has already come over. He said that the problem is fixed for now…"
That's an odd thing to come home to. But I didn't think too much of it. Things like this happen. And at first glance, everything in my place looked tip top, so I sat down at my desk to unwind as I recapped the day's events. Taking a big yawn, my parched lips needed some refreshment, so I sauntered into my kitchen.
Splish. Splash. Splosh.
Frozen in my tracks, my eyes slowly made their way down to my feet, only to catch a glimpse of my toes swimming in an inch of water. I flicked the light switch and my eyes couldn't believe what they were taking in. My kitchen looked like it was the battlefield for one of the most epic watergun fights ever. The walls, my appliances, my food…soaked. The floors and counters were filthy from where the water came gushing into my apartment. I stepped into my bathroom to grab a towel, but none were dry. Every towel became a victim of the ferocious broken water pipe's wrath and the bathroom saw no mercy. Half of my apartment had been converted into a waterpark without my approval and my things were soaked and ruined.
I slept that night on the dry(er) side of my bed (go ahead, make the "he wets his bed" jokes) and woke up bright and early to call my landlord. He already knew why I was calling and we sussed out the plans. They'd come in and assess the damage and make the proper repairs, as well as reimburse me fully for all the things I'd need to replace.
In came the renovation crew. They took a look at the situation and then looked at each other. Words were exchanged. After a while, Tony, the head of the crew, approached me saying, "This is worse than we thought." At that, holes were drilled into the walls. The ceilings were ripped out. I didn't expect it, but my place was getting a full makeover. And because of all the dust and odors circulating through the air and powdering overtop of all my things, there was no way I could stay in my apartment in a healthy manner. My landlord promised me they would compensate me as well for any lodging charges that would be incurred, as they'd much rather pay a lodging fee than a medical bill.
And now, the twist.
Searching for a place to stay for the next week, I checked out this new website that my friends had been raving about, airbnb.com. Essentially, home and apartment owners rent out their places to travelers, much like a hotel or bed & breakfast, but instead you're staying at someone's residence. So I scoured my neighborhood as I wanted to be close to my place and my things. Results for neighboring communities popped up, so I sifted through to find the most ideal place to stay during the construction. Then I saw an apartment on my street. Cool! That should be close. But as I scrolled through the apartment's photos, some things began to look more and more familiar, until I realized: this is right next door!
The setup was perfect, I definitely wanted to contact the owner and see if her place was available for the next week. I click on her profile and read through it. 31 years old. Advertising. Educated in Virginia. Graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University. Wait. Just. One. Second.
I'm 31. I studied advertising. I went to school in Virginia. I graduated from VCU. This was getting weird.
The both of us ended up connecting and found out we shared mutual friends. After sorting through the particulars and paperwork, I ended up crashing at her pad for the week, practically at arm's length to my own place. An ideal setup, a pleasant surprise.
Sometimes life hands you unexpected challenges that take control out of your hands. It may appear filthy, damp, complicated, and just plain difficult. But if you maintain an optimistic mood in your soul, focus your mind on the positive, and continue to offer love to everyone and even to the circumstances, the air will clear to allow you to smile through the oddities. You may even discover treasures right before your eyes that might have been overlooked before. This remarkable experience, though wild and unpredictable, unfolded into something pretty amazing!
Oh and by the way, the old friend I ran into at the airport earlier today is a guy who's well-known for unexpected twists in his movies, M. Night Shymalan.
Tucked comfortably now into my upright seat on a flight to eastside America, I'm smiling from my random run-in at LAX with a friend I haven't seen in almost three years. Life can be funny like that sometimes...where random occurrences give way to pleasant surprises.
Take these past couple weeks, for instance. The story starts with me and some homies reconnecting at the Abbot Kinney festival in Venice Beach. Hopping on our bikes, my buddies Matt Berberi, Jon Foo, and myself cruised the streets of Venice looking to make our lazy Sunday a funday.
Laughing and pedaling for about 7 hours, we called it a night around 1AM and headed to our respective homes. As I careened into my driveway, I noticed a small post-it note on my door.
"Hi, a water pipe broke in my apartment but the plumber has already come over. He said that the problem is fixed for now…"
That's an odd thing to come home to. But I didn't think too much of it. Things like this happen. And at first glance, everything in my place looked tip top, so I sat down at my desk to unwind as I recapped the day's events. Taking a big yawn, my parched lips needed some refreshment, so I sauntered into my kitchen.
Splish. Splash. Splosh.
Frozen in my tracks, my eyes slowly made their way down to my feet, only to catch a glimpse of my toes swimming in an inch of water. I flicked the light switch and my eyes couldn't believe what they were taking in. My kitchen looked like it was the battlefield for one of the most epic watergun fights ever. The walls, my appliances, my food…soaked. The floors and counters were filthy from where the water came gushing into my apartment. I stepped into my bathroom to grab a towel, but none were dry. Every towel became a victim of the ferocious broken water pipe's wrath and the bathroom saw no mercy. Half of my apartment had been converted into a waterpark without my approval and my things were soaked and ruined.
I slept that night on the dry(er) side of my bed (go ahead, make the "he wets his bed" jokes) and woke up bright and early to call my landlord. He already knew why I was calling and we sussed out the plans. They'd come in and assess the damage and make the proper repairs, as well as reimburse me fully for all the things I'd need to replace.
In came the renovation crew. They took a look at the situation and then looked at each other. Words were exchanged. After a while, Tony, the head of the crew, approached me saying, "This is worse than we thought." At that, holes were drilled into the walls. The ceilings were ripped out. I didn't expect it, but my place was getting a full makeover. And because of all the dust and odors circulating through the air and powdering overtop of all my things, there was no way I could stay in my apartment in a healthy manner. My landlord promised me they would compensate me as well for any lodging charges that would be incurred, as they'd much rather pay a lodging fee than a medical bill.
And now, the twist.
Searching for a place to stay for the next week, I checked out this new website that my friends had been raving about, airbnb.com. Essentially, home and apartment owners rent out their places to travelers, much like a hotel or bed & breakfast, but instead you're staying at someone's residence. So I scoured my neighborhood as I wanted to be close to my place and my things. Results for neighboring communities popped up, so I sifted through to find the most ideal place to stay during the construction. Then I saw an apartment on my street. Cool! That should be close. But as I scrolled through the apartment's photos, some things began to look more and more familiar, until I realized: this is right next door!
I'm 31. I studied advertising. I went to school in Virginia. I graduated from VCU. This was getting weird.
The both of us ended up connecting and found out we shared mutual friends. After sorting through the particulars and paperwork, I ended up crashing at her pad for the week, practically at arm's length to my own place. An ideal setup, a pleasant surprise.
Sometimes life hands you unexpected challenges that take control out of your hands. It may appear filthy, damp, complicated, and just plain difficult. But if you maintain an optimistic mood in your soul, focus your mind on the positive, and continue to offer love to everyone and even to the circumstances, the air will clear to allow you to smile through the oddities. You may even discover treasures right before your eyes that might have been overlooked before. This remarkable experience, though wild and unpredictable, unfolded into something pretty amazing!
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