Always my right leg

I've never broken a bone or sprained an joint. Never been to the ER or had to be ski patrolled down a mountain. But in my adult life, I still often get hurt, with scars to prove it. And it's always my right leg.

2008: Fighting crime (jumped off of a swing, landed on my right knee on gravel)

2010: Chasing a robber (got pushed (intentionally) into rocky mud water during a Mud Run)
2011: Gun fight (snowboarding, fell off backwards from a box, hit my shin on the side of it)

2011: Attacked by ninjas (snowboard slipped under me, slammed right knee on ice)

2012: Saving a baby from a speeding bus, evidence below (left foot slipped in the rain walking downhill, hit my right knee on the downward slope)

Gosh, I need to stop trying to save the world. It's really messing up my knee!

TYPTWD

Yesterday was the first ever Take Your Parents to Work Day. I've been working here for ~3.5 years, and being able to open up campus to my folks beyond a good, hearty meal was amazing.

After the day ended, I sent this email to my parents, fondly nicknamed by my team "MaChoi" and "PaChoi" (off of my own nickname/email address "sachoi").

Hi MaChoi and PaChoi,

Thanks for coming to TYPTWD (Take Your Parents to Work Day)! I had a lot of fun giving you a tour around campus, introducing you to my teammates, and showing you a little bit of what I do at work. I hope you had a fun day and are still full from all of the snacks. Enjoy your new mugs, mousepads, and the 1000 photos you took!

I also want to say thanks for being such awesome parents. The speaker today showed a slide with a man jumping in the air and it said, "If you give people freedom, they will amaze you." I think I'm able to do this because you raised me with a lot of freedom and trust. You have always allowed me to be myself and do what I enjoy, and supported me with positive encouragement. You gave me a lot of independence growing up -- dropping me off and picking me up from my friends' houses every weekend, and letting me take $20 from your wallet whenever I needed money (I spent it all on beer and drugs. Just kidding!). You let me decide which school to attend (luckily I chose Berkeley) and travel the world. You didn't force me to play the piano (sorry Mom) and let me live on my own (even though you still don't like it). The only thing you ever said, "NO!" to was getting another ear piercing. But that's not so bad. I knew you trusted me, and that gave me a lot of confidence in myself. Now that I'm an adult, I understand how the way you raised me shaped who I am.

Today reminded me of how you both attended every orchestra concert, open house, Parent-Teacher meeting, Back to School night... Thanks for always being there for me.

Love,
Your daughter, sachoi