UPDATE: HEART and RED DRESS Albums

Dear Everyone,

HEART storytells the quiet moments within the heart, which impacts what is said, done and who is loved. Songs about love, heartache, tribute to Mom for teaching me about resilience, a lullaby, and "Woman I am Now" highlights how love, marriage, motherhood, amicable divorce and peaceful solitude has made me a stronger woman.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2J6J9cUCbRBy1H0ycQSCIr?si=PkKM42blSB6sNYUf67NmjQ

My release "RED DRESS" flirts with holiday and winter love, joy, yearning, melancholy, and ends with the confident resolution "just wore the red dress you never got to see me in." 

https://open.spotify.com/album/7mFBNssWX8AAKBYthFRVze?si=nIPBmmSpSZOFyrm7QiRwqw

THANK-YOU to all my listeners and supporters!!

Quiet, Deep Thoughts with No Phones

With all the technology available and all the apps on our phones which pull us into them, it is more important to be aware of this and put it all aside once in a while, at least once a day or more, if possible. 

Try this one night and next day.

An hour or two before bed, turn on sleep and do not disturb modes on your cell phone or if you can, turn it off entirely. Leave the phone in the living room in a drawer or in a closet. Out of sight.

Before bed, try to journal, read a book or think about what happened during the day that you were grateful for. Think about all the people that bring a smile into your life, from the friendly bus driver, the grocery cashier, friends, loved ones. Think of them and send them love out through your window. You will fall asleep smiling.

Try to find a time to fall asleep so you can wake up the next day without an alarm. Open your eyes and savour the process of waking up. Say good morning to yourself and feel the blessing of being able to wake up for a new day! Not to seem grim here, but one day, that blessing will no longer be true - so embrace life! Tell yourself "I love me!"

Morning hygiene routine, take your time, put on the music that sets a positive vibe and wear something that makes you feel beautiful - not for anyone else, just for yourself. Enjoy breakfast in the music, the beautiful clothing and perhaps journal while you eat and enjoy sunrise.

If you have a solitary day, continue with this set tone and you will find yourself have quiet, deep thoughts without being interrupted by a ring tone. Solo time is important for creative ideas and thoughts about decisions in life.

Turn your phone back on, if you need to contact someone about meetings or plans, but try to make that quiet morning last at least an hour into after you wake up.

You will feel more at peace.

And we need more of that in our lives.

Tell me how it works, if you want to share.

Second Album "Love Story" Released July 16, 2025!

My first acoustic EP called "Daydreams"(released Feb 15, 2025) has over 5,000 streams, first album "Falling in Love" (released May 3, 2035) has over 4800, and my most recent album "Love Story" (released July 16, 2025) has over 2100 on Spotify! Thank-you to all those who are listening and relating to my musical short stories!!

My recent acoustic album "Love Story" tells the unforgettable love story (through the order of the songs) of the emotions felt before meeting each other (Haven't Met You Yet), falling (See the World Through You, Even Before), wanting to hold onto the moment (Could We Stop Time), loving (I Really Do), and facing the authenticity of differences for a loving departure (Honestly, Baby, You and Me) with an unknown future (Will my Heart Still Run to You?) Enjoy the story!

Stanford Sabbatical Winter 2023

I had the privilege in working with the Stanford Life Design Lab Team in the Winter of 2023. https://lifedesignlab.stanford.edu/team Kathy Davies, Urmila Venkatesh, Dustin Liu, Christian Simamora, Shanice Webb, Bill Burnett - what a team! I learned so much from them about designing your life principles for first year and senior undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. https://designingyour.life/ I strengthened my skills in design thinking concepts, brainstorming, prototyping, class engagement in topics such as success, discernment, wayfinding, and so much more, all outlined in Bill and Dave's book. THANK-YOU! 

 As for my living, I stayed at a one bedroom Stanford West Residence practicing minimalist living surrounded by other scholars and faculty. So refreshing! One Korean floor bed, one floor chair, one floor table, one bowl, one pot, and I used one closet. The living room and den stayed empty enough for me to dance and work out in, if I wanted. I walked and ran everywhere (closest grocery was 1 km away), only having to use uber twice for groceries coming back home. I took the train to travel to the city (SFO) for events and seeing friends. It was liberating not having things, a car and furniture to clean/dust. I took advantage of Stanford programs such zumba classes (love it!), ballroom dance, healthy living, personal trainer for my half marathon training, and ran the San Francisco Half Marathon by the Pacific Ocean! The run was breathtaking and inspiring to run my personal best at 2:42! I maintained my piano by playing at some beautiful music rooms on campus.

West coast living is definitely different from east coast Boston because the weather is warm all the time, people are outside exercising more. It was common to see people show up to class in yoga wear because they had a fitness session in between. Loved it! 

Big thank-you to my co-parent partner who made this possible as he hosted the kids for a bit over two months (I did visit once in the middle). Kids could have come with me, but then they would have been in three different schools in one year, so they stayed home in Toronto. Grateful and lucky for this opportunity! Thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Stanford and bringing it all to my home U of Toronto!

Debut Album "Falling in Love" Released!

Just in time for sunny Spring, a gift to all those you have ever loved:

my debut acoustic album "Falling in Love" (Acoustic) - just released today! 

https://open.spotify.com/album/4tIbIt95cVRted1dba2Tct?si=6rL0msAcRB6Vg1emY1vHzw

If anyone can guess what city I am singing about in "Just In My Mind" - reply back in the comments. :)

All the songs were recorded at Revolution Recording Studios, with me playing piano and singing at the same time, in one take with sound engineer Luke Schindler. For some songs, we played back the first take and I sang impromptu harmonies that resonated with me in real-time! No auto tune here. 

Hope you enjoy my musical creations and yes, I am busy working on the next one in my spare time after the work thing :)

Wishing everyone a fulfilling season with renewed energy and growth, just like all of these blossoms!

Warmly,

Nana Lee Piano Keys

https://open.spotify.com/album/4tIbIt95cVRted1dba2Tct?si=oHvoS6K2QAuJN465RxPg8w

Harvard Sabbatical Weeks Two - Twelve Fall 2022

I experenced so many scholarly and personal adventures during my sabbatical, but I will summarize here in one posting because I so many current events I would like to cover. More details will be in my next book!

Scholarship

I attended some of the programming for the Master's of Medical Sciences in Immunology as I had been involved with the Applied Immunology Program at my home university - as an observor and a guest lecturer for the individual development plan and career planning session. I also attended their PhD Pathfinder program and other sessions hosted by the Office of Graduate Education. I learned so much from the professors and students there. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Thank-you!! Enjoyed a beautiful office space at 77 Pasteur and visited many times to the Cambridge campus to hear lectures outside of my discipline and visit museums. I gave four talks at Tufts University and worked on a national project developing GPD programs.

Personal Growth

I student jazz piano and composition at Musician's Playground, Boston Commons and gave a private concert with about 15 of my Boston friends at the end of my time there. I will post the video on my music youtube channel one day. Skated on Boston Common. Enjoyed the oldest subway system in USA. Stayed at 67 Joy St during my second half of my sabbatical which was the place the first African-American woman doctor lived. I was part of history as I am pretty certain I am the first Korean-Canadian GPD professor in Canada. I thought that was cool, but I do not think my name will get a plaque on the outside wall of the building.

I met a friend who took me to the famous Harvard carillons, visited the coastline with some previous students from U of Toronto, had many dinners with old and new friends and mentees, attended cultural events and just met so many cool, intelligent people who I still keep in touch with today. I ran the Cambridgeside Half Marathon  - even though I had sore throat and a few days later, tested positive for covid for the first time. I stayed home for a week and wore a mask for a few days after. I ran a half marathon and beat my previous time!

I missed my childern terribly, but I visited Toronto every three weekends and the semester flew by. I almost gave up and packed it up in the first week, but my women professor friends told me to embrace Nana time and reminded me how it took me years to plan this valuable experience. Thank-you to their Papa who hosted them in Toronto while I was away. I had thought of bringing them to the USA while I was on sabbatical but then they would have to be in three different schools in one year - so we decided to keep them home.

Harvard exceeded my expectations as a place of scholarly and personal growth. I miss it from time to time and hope to visit again very soon!

PLOS One GPD Publication!

The program I started in 2012 with Dr. Reithmeier - the graduate professional development (GPD) course, the one that was featured in Science Careers - has come a long way!

Our impact of the curricularly embedded GPD was recently published in PLOS One and in 2 weeks, it has 503 views!

So happy to have our work out there for all to read about and share discussions with. So thankful for all the students and mentees who have made this course possible - you are the superstars that made it happen!!