I first stumbled upon Fran Meneses' illustrations on her Youtube Channel "Frannerd" where she documents her life as a full-time freelancer in the UK and to tell you the truth I could listen to her talk for hours. Her warm personality, humor, and visible passion for her career have made her channel feel like a safe place to talk among friends. Her topics range from motivation to the hardship of moving to a new country and finding inspiration in the simple moments of life.

Most of the time I feel lost in this sea of opportunity, stuck in one place. Is not about trying or finding my way out, is more about been out-there in the world doing something. Maybe it is a human thing to think that the reason we are born is 'purpose' and there must be something I am supposed to accomplish before my life ends. 

What is my purpose? That I cannot answer, I don't have the answer to such a profound question. All I know is what I can do right now in this specific moment--I can get my act together and find joy in life. Get out in the world and create the things I have always wanted, color my hair in purple and pink, get a piercing in my nose and ears, read romantic novels, write incoherent and random thoughts, paint lines with purpose, and breathe again. Breath all there is of this world and its people, breath the knowledge into me and maybe, just maybe along the way I can find pieces of the task I must complete before the lights go off.

The world has become a complicated place to be but there is no other place like it. People have become more complicated as time passes but there are not others like us-- with all our insecurities, passion, pain, complication, and laughter, we are one of a kind and I wish most of us could see that. I wish we could see that the only way we can go on is by understanding one another and all of our baggage.

You see, I like to ramble but it helps me out--it makes me less 'lost' if that is really a thing. 

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P.S- I hope you like this series of 'Cup of Tea' that you find some truth, inspiration, or even relate to this unstructured piece. If you do, leave a message. Let's chat, I don't think I will mind that.

On Saturday, I went to visit the MET with my mother on a daughter & mother date. The MET is located on 86th 5th Avenue. It is an enormous museum with plenty to see!

We went through the left side of the museum, where the Roman & Greek, Oceania, South America, and Contemporary/Modern exhibitions are located. We had a blast and I discovered new pieces of arts that I was unaware of and also had a lot of fun hanging out with my mother. Visiting a museum with my mother is like a walk through a comedy show, she knows how to make you laugh and ventured into places you have never seen--which is how we got to see all these others exhibition.


























      
 
 

Japanese minimalism comes from the idea "that less is more". There is a growing number of Japanese who embrace the minimalist lifestyle, which allows the mind to focus on the important things--rather than to concentrate on materialist items. There is less time spent buying and cleaning and more time doing what you want to do, such as traveling and spending time with people, creating relationships. The minimalist style is been adopted worldwide , especially among young adults.

I was never aware of the true cost of "fast" fashion and the impact that it has on the environment and human rights. After watching a video by LaMadelynn on Ethical Fashion and the documentary on Netflix "The True Cost", I realize how cruel the industry can be and I begin to research more on ways to be more ethical when it comes to buying clothing. To become more aware of the items of clothing I buy and from which stores to buy.


The True Cost documentary shows the reality behind the fashion factories in "third-world" countries. These factories are violations of international human rights and labor laws, utilization of child labor, and/or immense environmental destruction. The documentary follows factories workers in countries like Bangladesh, China, and Cambodia as well as activists in these countries and Western countries sharing their experiences working in these factories and the effects it has on the workers and the environment. It is heart-breaking to see the cruelty, abuse, and unsafe situation that workers in these factories have to deal with in order for us to get a $5 shirt or $20 jeans.


I took upon me to research more on ethical clothing brands. You need to be aware that buying ethical clothes will be much more expensive than the clothing you are used to buying. Yet, I believe that it is an investment and somehow it would have a positive impact on our environment. I think that building a closet with essential pieces will not only make getting dressed easier but it will declutter and force you to buy essential items of clothing that you will actually use and that will last longer than a $5 dollar shirt from Walmart.

The following list of ethical clothing stores was gathered from Joo Joo Azad and Anuschkarees blogs and from my own research, so check them out. They have more information on ethical fashion and clothing brands that are unethical.

1. New Classic Studios
2. Osborne
3. Garmentory: this is an online source for emerging and contemporary fashion. 
4. First Rite: this store is based in Los Angeles, CA.
5. Black Crane: is a brand by Alexander Yamaguchi and Momoko Suzuki and it is inspired by Japanese culture and civilization.
6. ModCloth

There are other ways that you can also help end with the human cruelty and environmental effect. If you are like me, I can't afford many of these clothes, so instead go to a thrift store or buy from online stores like Thred Up and Etsy, and maybe even making your own clothes.
This is a process and it can't be eliminated overnight, I am not a big shopper but now I can become more conscious of what I buy and where I buy it. I hope this information helps you.