Category Archives: Uncategorized

  I know time is just a construct and calendars are just a convenient way for us humans to mark the milestones in our life. But the past 4 years have been … well … real. I mean life has not been perfect, but it has been kind. A pandemic, two job changes (for eachContinue reading “Four”

  (Midjournye prompt: A young man returns to NYC after the apocalypse) The epitome of the pandemic is over is that I am finally traveling for work again. I went to Boston and Chicago and Europe last year for a personal trip, but this is my first work trip. The last work trip I tookContinue reading “The great escape”

  In Vietnamese proverbs, there is a saying “No mud, no lotus”, which means the challenges in life (the mud) give us the condition to rise above, shine, and be pure-hearted and beautiful, like a lotus. These days, with the literal forest fire and all, I don’t feel very “rise above” at all. It’s mostlyContinue reading “Flowers in the Fire”

(Trigger warning: Political views) (Originally written May 2019 – Repost since the feelings are the same in May 2023) I heard recently from an Albertan  that they voted for the UCP  (a government I believe to be racist, homophobic,   anti-choice and uncompassionate)  because they have suffered,   because of their economic anxieties  justify their choices toContinue reading “A prayer for UCP voters”

  (Image generated on MidJourney by AI, set to the theme of Lemon Tree) I don’t know if there are any more lonely questions than “What is the point of this anymore?”  The past feel weeks have been…weird. We hit some major roadblocks with immigration for my brother (I called racist officers). Three of myContinue reading “Lemon tree”

We got news on Thursday that our Professor for my master’s program has passed away. Cancer. As messages were pouring in on Linked In, and then Facebook, and then the journals that I used to read/contribute to, I couldn’t help but think “It’s not what you say about yourself (in front of you or behindContinue reading “Death doesn't let you say goodbyes”

  “Every day, we are living as source materials of the eulogy for people who love us” It’s probably a morbid thought. But that’s what I thought to myself during a funeral. It’s someone we know from church. She was 80 and had an amazing, well-lived, and courageous life. She was surrounded by children, grandchildren,Continue reading “Eulogy”

In my feverish dream state of half awake and half hallucination (for the past 5 days), I reflected on the last time I had a severe sickness like this. Funny enough, it was exactly 8 years ago, 3 weeks before my birthday. I can confidently say that, in the past 8 years, the consistent improvementContinue reading “2 be loved”

  “Wherever you go, there you are” In recent meditations about life, career, and friendships, it is becoming increasingly clear that I’m the shared problem in all my problems. No, not the “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem it me” kind of problem. If anything, it’s the opposite of that. In the effort to notContinue reading “(Un)grateful”

 (Cautiously) Pacing Forward As more and more people are posting 2022 photos and memories and the online life they presented for themselves, I can’t help but feeling, what’s the word, hopeful. People who know me know I do not do New Year resolutions (They fail usually at the Jan 15th mark and they are allContinue reading “The night before New Year”