It's the spring; it's a spell; something in the air. The thought of you blooms. Another decade, another April. Time hurries away as if in haste. But you're going nowhere. Your shaved chin, your brisk walk, your shoulder bulging the shirt is here forever in my wandering mind, in my knotted brow, in my staring … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #3
Month: March 2021
March Reading
Once I did a book review for a friend who published a Jane Austen fan novel. I sent my review to her, but she ended up deleting most of what I wrote. I know what's in her mind: my review is too much about my own memory triggered by the reading, and my own life … Continue reading March Reading
“Being Yourself” vs. “Not Being Yourself”
My true self is very interested in useless activities, like endless chatting, binge watching, reading aimlessly online, and indulging in a fantasized nostalgia. If I practice being myself, I will never get anything done. My healthy existence is dependent on me staying away from my true self. If I were a bird, I would be … Continue reading “Being Yourself” vs. “Not Being Yourself”
Poem Of The Day #2
Last night's rainstorm hastens the spring blooms the early flowers thrills the tweeting birds. Last year's April, please do not return-- the long shopping line, the empty shelves, the toilet paper shortage. But I dream of you, returning, even though I know you would not. It is understood. Still love feels unfinished.
The Whimsical Grandpa
"Cindy, we need to wear the white funeral dress and cry in front your Grandpa's coffin." Cindy's mom says. "Mom, how can I cry? I hardly know him. I can't just shed tear on command." Cindy says. "Your Grandpa's will says that everybody has to cry. Anybody who doesn't cry is not going to get … Continue reading The Whimsical Grandpa
Quotes For April #4
Love Stories
A girl falls in love with a guy, but the guy doesn't reciprocate. The girl goes to the King, who forces the guy to marry her. The guy does what he's forced to do, but leaves her right after the wedding to the frontier to fight the invaders. While he's fighting the enemy, the girl … Continue reading Love Stories
Looking For New Ideas
I've decided that when I have no new ideas, I would stop staring into the air to wish that something would happen. Something would not happen just because I wish it to happen; ideas don't show up just because I'm desperate. Instead I would do something new. Buy a new pink colored mouse and mouse … Continue reading Looking For New Ideas
The Battle Of Expectation
I've been reading "Let Love Have The Last Word" this month and here is a paragraph about expectation: "I think, throughout my life, I've had pockets where I've wanted the other person to elevate me, or felt as though they were going to provide a kind of boost for me to approach my higher self. … Continue reading The Battle Of Expectation
A Trip To Cape Cod
"I've never known that cape means a smaller peninsular. Cape Cod is where there used to be a large amount of cod fish." Lulu says while staring at the google result. "Look, I didn't come here to talk about geography or food." Brother Yi is a little impatient. "And Henry David Thoreau wrote a book … Continue reading A Trip To Cape Cod
Work With Time vs. Race Against Time
I heard the phrase very often that one has to treat time as a cooperator rather than an enemy. I really don't know what that means. Whether a cooperator or an enemy, time sneaks away and disappears fast. If it is a cooperator, it's an irresponsible and fickle one. As to whether it is an … Continue reading Work With Time vs. Race Against Time
Superfluity
"I can't believe I'm laid off. I've been a chemist for twenty years and I don't know what to do next. 2020 is not only the pandemic year, but also the death to the chemists year. It's the fault of artificial intelligence. Let me tell you something about the pharmaceutical industry. In the past there's … Continue reading Superfluity
Lovers Are Crazy
Lovers are crazy, but they will never admit to it. If they are sane enough to admit to it, they probably will not be so crazy. Here is a lover I knew. Whether she's a little crazy or not, you be the judge. Her boyfriend had to travel to France for a physics project that … Continue reading Lovers Are Crazy
The Evolution Of Beauty
Stage 1 -- Pure Fantasy This is when you were seven years old and first discovered that rhyming language is fun. You wanted to be her (click here for her story) who lived 900 years ago and who wrote beautiful lines. The sadder she was, the more beautiful she wrote. Then you started to enjoy … Continue reading The Evolution Of Beauty
Poem Of The Day #1
I am staring into nothing, which I hope is something. An hour has passed, I can't come up with anything. I get up, and walk around, like a clown, with a frown, frustration unbound. On the desk, a book spread, I flip through what I've read. Nothing there, except the feeling of dread. Without an … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #1
Quote Of The Day #3
Anniversary
I don't know if this should be called anniversary. I've always had the impression, probably a wrong one, that the word is used to commemorate something wonderful rather than something sickly and virus related. Still, by definition, it is an anniversary. It has been one year already since New Jersey started its first lockdown in … Continue reading Anniversary
You Never Listen
My Friend: Do you think I should get a gun? Me: No, you shouldn't. You are too emotional to own a gun. I don't want to see you shoot somebody and become a part of Central Jersey news. "Tragedy in Asian community." I can almost see the headline. My Friend: There are a lot of … Continue reading You Never Listen
Kitchen Drama
Food is the star of the family drama; kitchen is where the star is born and worked on. Most of the family actions happen there--the rinsing, chopping, stir-frying. Most of the cleaning and tidying up happen in there; most of the curses and regrets are uttered there. Mistakes happen that can ruin a favored dish; … Continue reading Kitchen Drama
Bee Positive, Bee Yourself
Every year, Edison Township has contestants for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and their cute pictures would be published in the local newspaper. Last year, even if it was cancelled due to the pandemic, an online substitute contest was won by an eighth grader from Edison, Navneeth Murali, who spelled the word “Karoshthi” correctly. I … Continue reading Bee Positive, Bee Yourself
March Madness–Everybody Is A Little Mad
I know M whose exercise routine is too intense for her body type, to the point that it's almost self damaging. Needless to say, after years of "abuse", her body caves in. Now she has damaged her knees, which require physical therapy. I warned her many times in the past ten years, but she wouldn't … Continue reading March Madness–Everybody Is A Little Mad
The Misnomer
Mong The Husband: "Where have you been? It's so late. Almost 10 o'clock. It's dangerous to be out so late." Meimei The Wife: "Come On. This is Piscataway, New Jersey. Not New York City. We had a drama rehearsal at school tonight. The director went on and on and on. He couldn't shut up. It's … Continue reading The Misnomer
Cultural Difference On TV
I didn't have time to watch the Oprah interview of Meghan & Harry, but I caught something last night from a channel in Southeast Asia. The cultural differences demonstrated in the comments from the program hosts are so blatant that I just couldn't help laughing. I won't say which channel it is since I don't … Continue reading Cultural Difference On TV
The Young Comedian
"Cindy, you are going to apply for college soon, right? What are you going to study?" People in the lab ask. Cindy doesn't come to visit her mom at her workplace often, but she does on this particular day. "Comedy," Cindy said. "Wow, that's interesting. Is that a drama major? In NYU?" The three people … Continue reading The Young Comedian
Quotes Of The Day #2
"Using someone else's map." I've been doing that 99% of the time. No wonder I see inexplicable landmarks and confusing sites. Mammals have mournful eyes, even if when they are happy. Birds eyes, on the other hand, are not so sorrowful. They are very astute.
The Argument
Fang Senior: "What are you doing, son? Are you reading?" Fang Junior: "I've been blocked for a week and nothing comes to my mind. What else can I do but to read?" Fang Senior: "Show me what you are reading." Fang Junior: "Dad, come on. You've lived in Philadelphia for decades, but I've never seen … Continue reading The Argument
Sleepless Vs. Clueless
Sleepless: I just don't feel drowsy at all and lie awake all night for days. Clueless: Maybe it's the tea you drank, or you staring at the computer screen for too long, or your anxiety. Wait, just blame the pandemic. Sleepless: I stopped tea or coffee last month. Zero caffeine now. The worst thing is … Continue reading Sleepless Vs. Clueless
Love As A Way To Live Our Lives
I have this long running unofficial "feud" with two assistants in the local Barnes & Noble. Once they even sent a temp they hired--a college student of Asian descent--to ask me "can I help you", the polite greeting with the purpose of driving me away from a display table of newest paperbacks. I guess I … Continue reading Love As A Way To Live Our Lives
Quote Of The Day #1
Saturday Morning Idiot
That's me, trying to get to the store to buy the carrot cake dessert hummus--the best healthy food invention in my opinion-- but made a wrong turn. And you know if you make a wrong turn in a town like Edison, it will take you twenty minutes to correct it. That's just the nature of … Continue reading Saturday Morning Idiot
Tea For Positivi-Tea
"What are you doing? Drinking tea from a bowl? That's ... unbelievable." "What are you doing? You eat your ice cream with hot tea?" This was many years ago when I was a graduate student. I had two roommates. Since I can't give away too many details, let's just say one is from South Asia … Continue reading Tea For Positivi-Tea
Social Media Family
M gets most of the information about his family member from the social media. M's son and his girlfriend work in a city several hundred miles away from here. For some reasons, M and his wife had some unpleasant verbal exchange with their son a while ago. The next thing they knew, the relationship descended … Continue reading Social Media Family
From The Humble Worms
Every time I go to Menlo Park Mall, I would visit my favorite item, to see, to touch, to feel its perfection. It's hanging proudly in Nordstrom, an expensive store. A silk long sleeved pajamas with matching silk pants, which I can't afford. It's been there for quite a while, but last weekend, it's gone. … Continue reading From The Humble Worms
March TBR
This is what you do when you aspire to read a lot but in reality you are a slow reader--make an ambitious plan to make yourself feel good and then turn a blind eye to your inability to finish your plan. This is me. It's like continuously imagining yourself being beautiful and then trying hard … Continue reading March TBR
Stories Of Rice
When the lockdown first started in March, last year, there's a big rush to buy rice. I thought it's a little ridiculous, but I still went out and came back with more supply of rice that could be consumed in one year--I didn't want to see myself left out from the madness. And the Asian … Continue reading Stories Of Rice
Haoyan Do 