Stewing fresh figs on the hot stove for jam; fluffy sour cream banana pancakes; Dad's hot cinnamon apples; breakfast :)

Moving in with my parents in California has been a great experience so far. Many people seem to question our choice. When I tell them- oh yes, we live with my parents!- they assume that it is temporary or that we will soon move to a place of our own. I often find myself prefacing the fact we are living with my parents with a short excuse for why we are doing so: "Alan and I are really into saving money right now, and they have a free room, so why not?"

However, I do not feel pressure to move out into our own place, though I know it is commonly expected, especially in such a bustling, busy, and career-oriented state as California. Why? 1. Because I've lived in Ohio...and 2. Because I'm married to Alan Becker :).

Living in Ohio showed me that it's ok to have a child before you are completely set in your career (of course, cost of living is way lower over there, which makes this more feasible) and that living with your family and with your parents is actually really nice because you get to interact with them on a more daily basis. Alan and I lived with his family for about a year when I moved to Ohio in January 2013, and then had our own place for about 2 and a half years before we moved out here to California. It was so nice to be able to get to know his sisters and parents for the year that we lived there; especially during those quiet moments when I would watch his mother cooking in the kitchen, or sit in the living room and read with others in happy and silent company. I feel that it is through living with someone that you truly get to know them. It was indeed very nice to have our own place- we could invite friends over whenever we wanted, we had more privacy, etc... They were both great experiences. 

Being married to Alan Becker has shown me the value of being myself and of not having to worry about taking the "secure" route, or worry about what others think. Alan, as you may or may not know, is a famous Youtuber. He makes his income, and especially in the past two years, solely from Youtube ad revenue. Growing up, I had always believed and worried about doing the "right" thing and career. High school through college were very fun but also very serious. I felt that I had my life and career on the line and much to lose, so I really had to give it my all. But Alan didn't really care about all of that. He went to and graduated from an art college, but almost all of his career has been devoted to creating his Youtube animation series. When I look back on the 4 years of college and the 1 year of master's, it was all a great experience, but now I'm doing something completely unrelated to what I majored in. Interesting, huh? And I am super excited and happy to be creating my cooking school business. My husband is an introvert and I am an extrovert (INTJ and ENFP). Growing up I felt the need to please people in social situations; instead, my husband avoided talking to people and didn't desire to be in the spotlight, like I did. We are so different in character, but through being married to him, I've learned the importance of being confident, and being myself, and that I really don't need to please everybody, or even worry about doing that. Also- I realized through sharing in his excitement over his own career- that I don't have to go the "secure" route. I can create something new, that I love to do, and earn a living doing what I love. This has been an invaluable lesson for me. The Landmark Forum also opened up in me a space to create possibilities, and to not be stuck in old, limited ways of thinking. Truly, I've come to see that "seeing is believing".  What I mean by "seeing" is envisioning. Seeing what you would like to create, and describing it as if it is real. You can see the colors, smell the aromas, taste, and hear. You are living in your dream, but through "seeing" and envisioning, your dream becomes your reality. In this way, the possibilities are limitless, and the only limits we have are the ones we put on ourselves. 

I want to thank everyone so much for the outpouring of support I've received through my Facebook Kaori's Kitchen page, requests for catering, and words of support and encouragement. They mean a lot, and really give even more fuel to my fire. I can't wait to share even more upcoming news, classes, and developments with you in the near future! 

Bon Apetit!

​Kaori