Holiday ready On 15 January?! Yup *wink wink*! This pairing makes me very excited for the holidays. Textured red mixed with classic items!
Thank you so much for reading and I actually want to share something personal with you that is non-fashion related. This message is nothing new, but I truly hope that it serves as a friendly reminder about safety. A few days ago, I went to a small intimate party to celebrate the final stage of a film edit. My friends have worked arduously on it and it’s about to be done. As the party was winding down, only a few of us were left and everyone made their way to the bar area for last toasts. It was around 1 am and I decided to call it a night. The parking structure where I parked my car was literally half a block from the party. I said my good nights and made my way to the car. As I walked down, I can hear someone behind me. I kept on walking. He approached at my pace and walked right beside me. Women shouldn’t walk alone at night. For some reason that didn’t scare me. He wore what it looked like a parking attendant’s uniform, so I thought he was just making conversation. I got to the parking structure and that’s when my heart started beating faster. The gates were closed and blocked. The structure is not fully covered so I can see what’s inside. My eyes darted back and forth to see if I can spot a security guard or someone inside. It’s closed after midnight. Where are you friends? I said calmly, “oh don’t worry. They’re right behind me.” I didn’t want to escalate the situation, but at the same time, needed to buy more time to see if I can spot anyone in the parking lot. He kept on rambling on as I tried to figure out how to get into the parking structure. There’s a back way. Come on, I’ll take you. I said, ‘I don’t think so. Thanks but no thanks.’ Ok then. You know I got divorced 23 years ago. She broke my heart. And you know what… I haven’t had sex in 6 years. 6 years!
That was when my mind searched for options. There was no one around. I can scream and start running back to where the party was. He was visibly bigger and taller than me. He also wore a tool belt with an object hanging from it. I was scared that if I screamed, he could easily knock me unconscious. I kept on thinking… just stay calm, just stay calm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a couple walking. From a street that was completely silent to hearing footsteps, I felt the biggest sense of relief. They took a few steps closer and I recognized them from the party! I calmly headed towards them. He followed me. I joined them and they saw my discomfort with the whole situation. I walked with them to their place which was around the corner from the parking structure. He followed us. My guy friend stepped in and told him to go when we got to their front door. They waited with me as I called Uber for a ride home. When the Uber driver dropped me off, I said, “I can ask for a big favor? Can you stay and make sure I get in the door of my building?” He didn’t take off right away and stayed. I pushed myself in as fast as I could into the front gate and waved thank you. I got home, washed my face, and went to bed right away. Sammie (who has actually upset at me for leaving him for Toronto… will share that story another day!) jumped on my bed and wanted to do our nightly routine ‘Catch the Mole’. I basically would push my feet and hands one at a time up from under the blanket and he’ll jump on it pretending to pounce on a mole. Usually our sessions goes for 5 minutes or so, but this time he only played for a few seconds. After our game, he usually leaves and head to his sleeping area, but that night he stayed with me. He slept by my side and held out his arm. The next morning, he put his face right next to mine and just laid there.
This is not new information or advice… A buddy system. I didn’t ask anyone to walk with me for a few reasons. One, the parking structure was super close. Two, the neighborhood was relatively safe. Three, I didn’t want to bother anyone and take them from the good time they were having at the party. Whether it’s family or friends, it’s just in my personality not to inconvenience people. I’ve had encounters like this before in Los Angeles (it’s usually random people making random comments), but this experience was by far the scariest. Honestly, it was the tool belt. He kept on resting his hand on the object attached to the tool belt. When I got home, a hundred questions raced through my head as I replayed the night. Could I’ve done this? Or that? Act mad and start screaming? I live in LA and hear people screaming, whether it’s fun or fear quite often and never hear a police siren or surrounding support voices afterwards, so I wasn’t too hopeful about the screaming. Or take off my pumps and hold it up in self defense? Call 911? While my two friends walked with me to their place, he was right behind us and said, ‘if you had your head down looking at your phone, I could have done this’ and made a gesture of slapping someone. This whole experience was scary, but I’m glad that no one got hurt especially the two friends who walked with me at the end.
Where ever you are or where you might be, please be safe. A midnight study session (a few of my friends got robbed walking home from these late night study sessions in college), please have a buddy system or call campus security to escort you home. Burning the midnight oil at work, please walk with a colleague to your car. Wrapping up shoots late at night, please walk together with the crew. Please take extra measures to be safe. Moreover, please don’t look down at your phone when you walk! I learned so much from this experience and sincerely wish you a safe passage as you go about your day. Please be safe.
As always, thank you thank you for reading and please take care!
Thank you so much for reading and I actually want to share something personal with you that is non-fashion related. This message is nothing new, but I truly hope that it serves as a friendly reminder about safety. A few days ago, I went to a small intimate party to celebrate the final stage of a film edit. My friends have worked arduously on it and it’s about to be done. As the party was winding down, only a few of us were left and everyone made their way to the bar area for last toasts. It was around 1 am and I decided to call it a night. The parking structure where I parked my car was literally half a block from the party. I said my good nights and made my way to the car. As I walked down, I can hear someone behind me. I kept on walking. He approached at my pace and walked right beside me. Women shouldn’t walk alone at night. For some reason that didn’t scare me. He wore what it looked like a parking attendant’s uniform, so I thought he was just making conversation. I got to the parking structure and that’s when my heart started beating faster. The gates were closed and blocked. The structure is not fully covered so I can see what’s inside. My eyes darted back and forth to see if I can spot a security guard or someone inside. It’s closed after midnight. Where are you friends? I said calmly, “oh don’t worry. They’re right behind me.” I didn’t want to escalate the situation, but at the same time, needed to buy more time to see if I can spot anyone in the parking lot. He kept on rambling on as I tried to figure out how to get into the parking structure. There’s a back way. Come on, I’ll take you. I said, ‘I don’t think so. Thanks but no thanks.’ Ok then. You know I got divorced 23 years ago. She broke my heart. And you know what… I haven’t had sex in 6 years. 6 years!
That was when my mind searched for options. There was no one around. I can scream and start running back to where the party was. He was visibly bigger and taller than me. He also wore a tool belt with an object hanging from it. I was scared that if I screamed, he could easily knock me unconscious. I kept on thinking… just stay calm, just stay calm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a couple walking. From a street that was completely silent to hearing footsteps, I felt the biggest sense of relief. They took a few steps closer and I recognized them from the party! I calmly headed towards them. He followed me. I joined them and they saw my discomfort with the whole situation. I walked with them to their place which was around the corner from the parking structure. He followed us. My guy friend stepped in and told him to go when we got to their front door. They waited with me as I called Uber for a ride home. When the Uber driver dropped me off, I said, “I can ask for a big favor? Can you stay and make sure I get in the door of my building?” He didn’t take off right away and stayed. I pushed myself in as fast as I could into the front gate and waved thank you. I got home, washed my face, and went to bed right away. Sammie (who has actually upset at me for leaving him for Toronto… will share that story another day!) jumped on my bed and wanted to do our nightly routine ‘Catch the Mole’. I basically would push my feet and hands one at a time up from under the blanket and he’ll jump on it pretending to pounce on a mole. Usually our sessions goes for 5 minutes or so, but this time he only played for a few seconds. After our game, he usually leaves and head to his sleeping area, but that night he stayed with me. He slept by my side and held out his arm. The next morning, he put his face right next to mine and just laid there.
This is not new information or advice… A buddy system. I didn’t ask anyone to walk with me for a few reasons. One, the parking structure was super close. Two, the neighborhood was relatively safe. Three, I didn’t want to bother anyone and take them from the good time they were having at the party. Whether it’s family or friends, it’s just in my personality not to inconvenience people. I’ve had encounters like this before in Los Angeles (it’s usually random people making random comments), but this experience was by far the scariest. Honestly, it was the tool belt. He kept on resting his hand on the object attached to the tool belt. When I got home, a hundred questions raced through my head as I replayed the night. Could I’ve done this? Or that? Act mad and start screaming? I live in LA and hear people screaming, whether it’s fun or fear quite often and never hear a police siren or surrounding support voices afterwards, so I wasn’t too hopeful about the screaming. Or take off my pumps and hold it up in self defense? Call 911? While my two friends walked with me to their place, he was right behind us and said, ‘if you had your head down looking at your phone, I could have done this’ and made a gesture of slapping someone. This whole experience was scary, but I’m glad that no one got hurt especially the two friends who walked with me at the end.
Where ever you are or where you might be, please be safe. A midnight study session (a few of my friends got robbed walking home from these late night study sessions in college), please have a buddy system or call campus security to escort you home. Burning the midnight oil at work, please walk with a colleague to your car. Wrapping up shoots late at night, please walk together with the crew. Please take extra measures to be safe. Moreover, please don’t look down at your phone when you walk! I learned so much from this experience and sincerely wish you a safe passage as you go about your day. Please be safe.
As always, thank you thank you for reading and please take care!
Blogger : Wendy Nguyen
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