Welcome to my blog. I share with you everything I love from culture and community to food and tech.
Enjoy!
Aloha! My name is Briana Aea. In 2018 I gave birth to my first child which caused my world to be completely turned upside down. I began to question my place on this earth as a Hawaiian, Japanese and Filipino-American woman. With an intense desire to create something of my own while staying true to who I am, this blog is a culmination of the re-discovery of my culture and heritage, motherhood, delicious eats, community members and events, as well as my expanded thoughts on the arts, entertainment and video games.
Mahalo for being here.
This is a paper I wrote for my US Womenβs History class. Although I do not identify as an Iroquois woman, as a Native Hawaiian, we hold similar values as that of our indigenous sisters.
As a mama who has been through the ups and downs of pregnancy and new parenthood, I know just how much it helps to have the support of loved ones. There are countless ways you can provide that support, but these are just a few ideas to get you started.
Youβre a pro at paying the bills, balancing the checkbook, and making your familyβs money stretch. But are you thinking beyond the next paycheck? To achieve true financial security, you need to think about the big picture, too. How can you make sure you have enough money to save for retirement, put your kids through college, and weather any bad luck that comes your way? These questions might seem overwhelming, but just a few simple steps will put your family on the path to greater financial security.
From the creator of the smash hit HAMILTON, Lin-Manuel Mirandaβs multiple Tony-winning Best Musical captures the sights and sounds of a vibrant New York City neighborhood on the brink of change, telling the story of a bodega owner whose life is interwoven with residents who visit his store. The thrilling Tony-winning score combines Latin rhythms, hip-hop and pop for an exhilarating journey about chasing your dreams and what it truly means to be home. Broadway At Music Circus premiere.
We are a beautiful, misunderstood, and underestimated people capable of more than we realize. Starting with my own family, I want to heal the brokenness weβve experienced over the generations so we can continue to rise and embrace what is ours. Colonized by Spain, the United States of America and Japan; who were we before others told us who to be? My curiosity and hunger to learn more about my familyβs ancestry has been reignited.
Did you know that you can help save a child's life by playing games?
Here's how it works
Extra Life is a fundraising and gaming marathon to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
100% of the donations go to the UC Davis Childrenβs Hospital. TOGETHER we will make a difference for sick kids!
In this conversation with Ms. Fuzari, we learn more about how she blazed her path into game development, what instruments she plays, games accessibility, the best advice sheβs ever received, what her dream project is and ultimately how everything sheβs loved to do lead to her position as an Audio Artist II at EA Capital Games.
Expecting a new bundle of joy? Wondering how to factor all your pregnancy and baby needs into your budget? Becoming a new parent is never cheap, but there are some pretty savvy ways to save on all of the supplies you will need to get through the next nine months, and beyond. So, before you start shopping for all that you need, keep these budget-friendly tips in mind.
Are you an aspiring game creator?
This is for you.
Do you want to learn more about Sacramento area women in games?
This is for you.
Do you want to support Sacramento area women in games?
This is for you.
Are you a games enthusiast?
This is for you.
Do you want to break misconceptions about women and gaming?
This is for you.
How many different sounds can one person make with their body? STOMP sets out to answer that question. Performed on a simple backdrop with dramatic lighting, STOMP is energetic, engaging and humorous. I wasnβt expecting to laugh so much! My head could not stop boppinβ to the rhythms coming off the stage. All I could think of was how much practice went down before we saw the cast in action. Itβs one thing to memorize lines but to remember the various rhythms on percussion instruments and choreography on top of that, whew! Iβm tired just reliving that! Did I mention there was no intermission? These talented young women and men played straight through. I also thought it was cool to see older and younger patrons in the audience. This is definitely the type of musical I would bring my son to when he gets a bit older. (Heβs only 11 months old now.) After watching the show I now want to turn my everyday items into musical instruments.
Do yourself a solid and get to the Sacramento Community Center Theatre to see STOMP, February 1st through the 10th in Downtown Sacramento. Tickets are available here.
This is a once in a while kind of treat. Proceed with caution!
Even if you had a good health and fitness routine in place long before COVID-19 hit, the pandemic has probably forced you into making some adjustments to how you eat, exercise, and spend your free time. And now that weβre several months into the pandemic, you may be looking for some ways to lose that Quarantine 15 and get back on track to reaching your 2020 fitness goals. For some tips on losing weight and getting back in shape as you ride out the rest of the pandemic, read on!
βIt is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination.β
The Napa Valley has always evoked a Twilight Zone sense of feeling to me. As soon as I exit right off Interstate 80 and onto Highway 12, I turn the bend around the first foothill and embark into the mysterious region where I immediately begin to lose the tension in my shoulders and my deep breaths end with a smile. Iβm fortunate to live near one of the most prominent wine regions in the world. Only 83 miles from Downtown Sacramento, my family and I set out to meet my brother Brandon and his friend Christian at VJB Cellars. On an absolutely picturesque 65-degree day in late March, we were blessed with a slight breeze and a gentle sun. It was the perfect day to be out wine tasting.
βWhy did you only order a medium? What about left overs?β I thought to myself as I inhaled the mouth-watering visual in front of me. If youβve never had an east coast style slice of pizza, then you have no idea what youβre missing. Are you willing to opt out of a thin-crust, leafy green, fancy-schmancy pizza? Give Celestinoβs in Rocklin a try. Your arteries may not be pleased with you afterwards but itβs a small sacrifice for a wee bit of indulgence. Everything in moderation π
One of my favorite pastimes is going on a spontaneous road trip. Since my son has been born, those trips have been far and few between. On a late Saturday afternoon in December, my family and I hopped in the car and went for a drive. Typically my weekends are spent catching up on chores, be it washing laundry or cleaning our home. It felt good to be out in the fresh air and admiring familiar but new scenery. Our destination was towards the coast but we found ourselves discovering new roads together and decided to head north instead.
The seasons are changing and it's that time of year when we start planning to gather with family and friends for the holidays. Growing up, this was primarily done around delicious homemade meals prepared with love. Three months ago, I found myself wanting to do something new and unfamiliar to me. At the time my son was 4 months old and began taking a stronger interest in foods that I was eating. This launched a desire for me to start cooking again. And not just foods that could be prepared in 10 minutes or less to satisfy a bacheloretteβs palette but something that my son could remember sharing with me. For example, each time I dice a white onion and sautΓ© it in the pan the smells and sensations remind me of when my grandma would cook a hot breakfast for me before school. The aroma that filled her kitchen when she would bake an apple cake or zucchini bread from scratch made me feel comforted and at home. Those are the memories I want to create for my son. As I began to research recipes and prepare entrees that required a little more time, I'd place different spices like curry or garlic under his nose so he could experience something new. Weeks would pass and I concluded that random recipes off the internet were not what my heart or belly desired. In an effort to spend more time with my loved ones, I decided to reach out to my cousins and close friends to see if they would share with me and my son what their favorite meal is to cook and reminisce on why it is so special.
Some women yearn for a glass of wine or a cold beer at the end of their pregnancy. For me, all I craved was a bowl of raw fish otherwise known as poke. Fish Face Poke Bar is my go to spot for the freshest poke in Sacramento! With so many choices popping up throughout our region, it can be difficult to decipher who consistently has the best tasting poke in town.
Bachelorette life leaves me few desires to cook proper meals for myself. Between late nights working, bouncing from events or meeting up with friends for happy hours, I seem to spend my time everywhere but in the kitchen. It's not to say that I don't enjoy cooking. I prefer to cook for more than one. So when I'm presented with an opportunity to cook for others I try to make something unique.
Lumpia is best prepared with friends and family gathered around the table, each with their own station. Young and old can participate. Here is my familyβs recipe.
Happy wrapping!
Earlier this year I had an eye opening experience at the UC Davis/Sac State game jam. This first time mom tried to live her former busy, dedicated life by bringing her six-week old baby to the event and quickly realized that, among other things, changing a diaper in a college bathroom with no changing station is not the best start to raising a little human. It was that day when I came to the conclusion that I will no longer be able to commit to the Sacramento Developer Collective like I have in years past where I served as the Vice Chair of IGDA Sacramento, the marketing/outreach coordinator and the co-organizer for the Sacramento Indie Arcade. For the time being, I am stepping away from an active leadership role to focus on my family.
I began writing these features to shine a light on the lesser known side of creative arts taking place in Sacramento. According to the Entertainment Software Association, of the 77 college programs and 889 companies that operate in California, approximately 32 of those have made Sacramento their headquarters. I am by no means a professional writer. Iβm just someone who wants to help see our community succeed. As the person who has been heading up the social media marketing and outreach efforts for the Sacramento game development community over the last four years, I felt it was time to start telling the stories of the people behind the studios. Up until this year all of my posts have been promoting our meetups and the big events. But we are more than that and would be nothing without the little consistent tasks that take place day after day, week after week, and month after month.
Over the last 4 years I have spent most of my free time organizing events for the greater Sacramento game developer community. At one point we were averaging at least three to four events per month. This left me very little time to actually play games created by our developers. Now that I have stepped down from those responsibilities I have more time to devote to playing games!
In 2013 I was in Scotland when I was first told about the concept for Crumple. Gabriel and I had been exchanging emails back and forth about various topics. At this time he had a few other games in the early planning stages but this one he seemed to be the most excited about. When people hear about the game for the first time, their typical response is one of shock. But not the kind of shock you experience when there is a POP emergency or some government mishap. This kind of shock falls more along the lines of βyouβre making a game about an envelope?β
The Sacramento Indie Arcade is this Saturday, April 8th. Online ticket sales end Monday, April 3rd. Buy your tickets before the event and skip the line! www.sacindiearcade.eventbrite.com
Please meet the Sacramento Indie Arcade's next panelist, Brian Bullard.
Brian Bullard A.K.A Bullardo, is the CEO and founder at FoundryVR Studios, Co-Host of the Podvr Podcast and co-founder of The Sacramento Virtual Reality Meetup.
Alona is the Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer of Operation Innovate, Inc. DBA Code for Hood and CEO of The Go 2 Network, LLC an education technology consulting firm.
Jason Lott is the Attorney Advisor for Trademark Educational Outreach at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (βUSPTOβ) in Alexandria, Virginia.
We are happy to introduce our next speaker, Joe McClure!
Please meet the Sacramento Indie Arcade's next panelist, Paul De Leon!
The impact of games on society can hardly be overlooked: video games break boundaries and give the player an unprecedented freedom that has long been lost in everyday life.
I was nine years old when I played my first video game on the Super Nintendo game console. While sitting on the living room floor at my cousinβs house, I found myself jumping down lime green pipes and collecting gold coins throughout Super Mario Brothers. Hearing the ting audio effect as I grabbed coins and eventually reaching the flag to level-up brought tremendous satisfaction to my self-confidence. The familiar 8-bit audio theme music is one I still hum today. Video games and retro arcade games are a favorite pastime of mine. Nowadays, I race luxury cars through the European countryside and other exotic locations in Forza Horizon 2 which is an exclusive video game title for my Microsoft Xbox One game console. When Iβm not home, my iPad serves as my mobile gaming device where I play a multitude of app-based games such as Words With Friends, Monopoly or Bronto Blast a game developed by Nevada City, California game studio B Flat Games. Todayβs video games are enjoyed by players of all ages and backgrounds. Because of this diversity, it is important to showcase the effect United States public policy has on censoring the content of this entertainment medium.
Greetings greater Sacramento area indie game developers!
Expand your horizons. As part of our continued partnership with Casual Connect, we would like to extend this offer to you. Exhibit your game along with the world's best independent developers on May 29-31 in London!
Practical tech toys have always held a special place in my heart. I find those types of gifts to be more romantic than chocolate. (I know, who am I?) So this Valentineβs Day I decided to treat myself and purchased my first Amazon product called the Echo Dot.
Long before I became involved with the Sacramento tech and startup scene, before there was even a startup scene in this town, I was building the foundation for my own venture.
A poem summarizing one aspect of my experience as part of this community I didnβt realize I would join. The Sandwich Generation is defined as a generation of people in their 30βs or 40βs who are responsible for bringing up their own minor children and for the care of their aging parents. To learn more about this experience, please read this New York Times article, βItβs Pretty Brutal: The Sandwich Generation Pays a Price.β
Reminiscing about past celebrations involving a turkey and how we gathered during a pandemic.
I smiled as we approached the front gate and heard music emanating from the carousel. I LOVE amusement parks; so much so that I worked at one as a teenager. The thrill of going upside down on a roller coaster, the smell of a fresh churro or funnel cake, and the collective energy from fellow attendees screams fun! This was our first time visiting the amusement park together. Masks on and a mini backpack loaded with hand sanitizer and wipes, we made our way towards the entrance.
With todayβs unusual current events it is more important than ever to keep our spirits up during an abnormally lonely time. Itβs been 50 days since coronavirus arrived in California. Social gatherings have been limited to 250 people, sporting events are canceled and even Disneyland is closed. Aside from going outdoors to exercise or for essential trips to the grocery stores, we donβt have many options remaining but to stay in our homes for the safety of our family and others.
Rice and Spam are not typically part of my grocery list. However given the circumstances, I know these foods will last a while on my shelf so I thought to order some for those just in case moments.
Prior to today I wasnβt paying as close attention to the coronavirus pandemic as I should have been. Little did I know how drastic our lives would change in the weeks to come. Feel free to follow my daily accounts in this portion of my blog.
Awake with my thoughts, I need to get these feelings out. Blog inspired by this horrific tragedy in El Paso, Texas and my genuine love and concern for my child.
βSometimes, I'm still amazed that after almost thirty six years, the memory of what happened in October, 1963, is still so clear to me. Sadly enough, not all memories of those "hannabuddah days" are pleasant ones. But when you're barely fourteen years old and a police officer comes to your house, asking questions and making accusations, it isn't something easily forgotten.β