My Korean-American Life

  Today I volunteered with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), helping prepare for the launch of ReFiber , a new textile recycling and reuse initiative beginning in early 2026. I arrived expecting an afternoon of cutting donated fabrics down to usable sale sizes, recovering notions like buttons, zippers, and elastic, or sorting clothing to determine what can be recycled, reused, or resold. ReFiber is LSSNCA’s newest pilot program—an ambitious textile recycling and reuse effort rooted in sustainability and community empowerment. The goal is simple but profound: transform donated textiles into materials for sales, reduce waste, and create a circular system and profits from any materials sold from this waste diversion pathway will go directly to supporting LSSNCA mission and services that supports refugees and immigrants rebuilding their lives in the U.S. The passionate lead volunteer, Elizabeth who’s been working with LSSNCA for a long time, greeted me wa...

  Before I knew it, a third of the final month of the year had already slipped past. A restless flutter stirs in my chest. So much still remains to be done before the year draws to a close. First, I resolve to take stock of my finances as they stand now, preparing myself for the approaching tax season—already at the doorstep—and for shaping next year’s investments and portfolio with clearer intention. This month and in January, I’ll share a series of my reviews related to this. First, I checked key changes in the upcoming US individual income tax. The 2025 US individual income tax year (for taxes filed in early 2026) includes significant changes largely driven by new legislation (sometimes referred to as the "One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB)") and annual inflation adjustments. Here’s a summary of the most important 2025 US individual income tax changes: 🔑 Major Changes & New Deductions Category 2025 Tax Change Summary Key Amounts (Income Phaseouts Apply) New Deduction for ...

  This morning, I drove out to a farm in Maryland to pick up my fiber art pieces after my first-ever holiday artisan exhibit. The works—eight Maedeup necklaces and two Jogakbo handbags— had been displayed as part of the Countryside Artisans Holiday Art Tour . When I arrived, the farm owner and organizer of this exhibit, Bev, greeted me warmly. A gentle smile gathered in the creases of her weathered face as she said to me, “No sale. If I may give you some advice, your pieces are so beautiful, but they need black backgrounds to show their beauty. Don’t be disappointed. Another artist who couldn’t sell for the past two years sold all this year. It’s all about display.” Then, she handed me my pieces, all carefully re-packed in the same bag I had dropped them off in a few weeks ago.  Her comment stayed with me far longer than the disappointment of the moment. As I drove home with my bag of unsold work beside me, I realized: this experience gave me two lessons more valuable than any...