Image by hudsoncrafted from Pixabay Being Indirect prevaricate: speak or act in an evasive way. equivocate: use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself. circumlocution: the use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive. implicit: implied though not plainly expressed. … Continue reading New Word #23: Being Indirect
Month: May 2021
An American Marriage
This is the first book I read by the author Tayari Jones. I really like the book. In many places, it is very funny although the plot is about a terrible injustice done to the main character, Roy, who's handsome, well educated, married. He's wrongly accused of rape and is jailed for five years before … Continue reading An American Marriage
She Has News (Flash Fiction #26)
Image by jplenio from Pixabay "Yashin, you can't stop talking, can you? Every time we chat, you have such bad news about mass shootings, Asians being attacked on the streets of New York, or some other disasters. When you exhaust the U.S. news, you talk about Mongolians' invasion of Burma in the 13th century." Lalin … Continue reading She Has News (Flash Fiction #26)
Good Or Bad Suggestions (Flash Fiction #27)
Image by marcelkessler from Pixabay It's an weekend afternoon at Pammy's place. "What am I going to do?" Lil asks, staring at her friend Pammy and then Armei. "Just confront him. Just be straightforward and open about it. Of course you want to have solid evidence first." Pammy says. "OK, let's go then." Lil says. … Continue reading Good Or Bad Suggestions (Flash Fiction #27)
New Word #22: A Period Of Time
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash I've always thought there are a lot of words to signify a period of time, but when I listed them out, there were not as many as I thought. I must have missed some. Please let me know if you have used or encountered such a word before. I've … Continue reading New Word #22: A Period Of Time
Words And Childhood
There are so many quotes from this book that I don't know where to start. It's Sartre's autobiography--the first 10 years of his life--when he and his widowed mother lived with his grandparents. It's a happy childhood, and Sartre repaid the love he received with penetrating comments. He couldn't have been so sharp as a … Continue reading Words And Childhood
Poem Of The Day #14
Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay In an alternative history of an alternative universe, we would have nagged each other to death. You are so clean and immaculate-- your desk is free of a speck of dust, pens, files, folders line up as if soldiers in morning drills. How much your mother must have tidied … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #14
Quote Of The Day #11
New Word #21: Learned Recently
Photo by Diane Helentjaris on Unsplash veracity: conformity to facts; accuracy.This is from Pooja here. detente: the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.This is from Mitchteemley here. sally: a sudden charge out of a besieged place against the enemy; a sortie. (noun or verb)"O, that this too too sallied flesh would meltThaw … Continue reading New Word #21: Learned Recently
Summer Activities (Flash Fiction #25)
Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash Father: Son, what are you doing? Are you writing poems again? You know I want you to get involved in some useful activities, like math camps, music, painting etc. Son: Dad, I don't like those things. Father: We are not talking about your preferences. We are talking about usefulness … Continue reading Summer Activities (Flash Fiction #25)
Quote Of The Day #10
The Vegan (Flash Fiction #24)
Photo by Sascha Bosshard on Unsplash When Tony Tung suddenly announces at the dinner table that he is going to be a vegan starting the following week, his parents are totally confused what he's talking about. They've never heard the word before and have to consult the online dictionary. "It means a person who does … Continue reading The Vegan (Flash Fiction #24)
Quote Of The Day #9
Love Animal Videos
I love to watch animal videos. I guess it's because I'm too lazy to have a pet. Or probably my Mongolian genes are working on my subconscious thoughts--we are supposed to be animal loving nomads. Videos about grateful wildlife. There are so many YouTube videos about grateful wildlife that I almost feel that the concept … Continue reading Love Animal Videos
New Word #20: “Itch” And “Inch”
I've always liked words which end in "itch" or "inch" even though sometimes I can confuse one with another due to spelling similarities. Each of these words comes with an attached sound. For example, the word "glitch"--one can almost hear the sound of a "click" when a malfunction happens. The word "twitch" too--one can almost … Continue reading New Word #20: “Itch” And “Inch”
The New Chef (Flash Fiction #23)
Photo by Alexey Savchenko on Unsplash Ada and her husband Taich are the managers of an Asian restaurant in northwestern part of New Jersey. They are new in the business. When they need a chef, one is recommended to them. It is said the chef has great skills and has worked in the most prestigious … Continue reading The New Chef (Flash Fiction #23)
The Premonition
Although I am about to finish this book, I don't feel that I like it as much as I like the author's other books like "Liar's Poker", "Boomerang", "The Undoing Project"--I only read fifty pages of "The Big Shot", and I like it very much. Somehow I feel that the author's usual style--a bit ironical … Continue reading The Premonition
Poem Of The Day #13
Photo by Landon Parenteau on Unsplash The end of May feels more like the peak of summer-- heat, humidity, haze, blinding light-- reminding me of that very hot day long long ago. In such a delirious temperature, even stones were hot, but you were so cold, as usual. A life of inescapable chores, an unhelpful … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #13
Quote Of The Day #8
New Word #19: “COV” Related
I hope words starting with "cov" are not unfairly vilified due to the pandemic. I won't include cover and coverage here since these two words are too commonly used. My favorite "cov" word is covet. For a long time, I didn't know the difference between desire and covet despite all the explanations I reviewed. Then … Continue reading New Word #19: “COV” Related
The Shocking Consequence (Flash Fiction #22)
This story is a sequel to "An Afternoon With Champ" and "The New Teacher". However there's no need to read the previous two stories. Here is a brief summary of the background. Jasmine met Champ at a mixed martial arts competition in Penang, Malaysia. Jasmine was a spectator while Champ was a contestant. The two … Continue reading The Shocking Consequence (Flash Fiction #22)
The New Teacher (Flash Fiction #21)
Tom Tsai, the owner of the Ivy Training Center, has just hired Cindy Wong, a high school senior, as a part time teacher for one of the weekend ESL classes in Edison, New Jersey. ESL stands for English As Second Language, and ESL students are children who can't catch up with the regular classes at … Continue reading The New Teacher (Flash Fiction #21)
The Anniversary
I really don't have an anniversary date for my blogs since I went on and off for many months before starting to post regularly in May 2020. So let's just arbitrarily take today as the anniversary date. This reminds me of my grandmother's birthday, which is actually an arbitrary date. In those eras--before WWII--I was … Continue reading The Anniversary
An Amazing Number
I finally did my registration for vaccine shots and here is the email I received: 240 different languages? That's a lot. I guess there are people speaking 240 different languages in New Jersey. I wonder if 240 languages cover most corners of the world. This is amazing. I know diversity is not everybody's cup of … Continue reading An Amazing Number
Things Unexpected
I went to the store to pick up some emergency mouthwash and dental floss, and the store assistant told a lady in front of me to put on her mask. She must be vaccinated. I thought people who are vaccinated don't have to wear masks anymore. Gossip about an acquaintance who always manages to find … Continue reading Things Unexpected
New Word #18: The Wonderful “ZZ”
Whenever I see a word with "zz", I start to imagine the sizzling sound of barbecuing, the fizzing sound of a bubbling beer, and the buzzing sound of an insect. The word comes with its own sound effect, which makes it easy to remember and interesting to reflect upon, although I have to say I … Continue reading New Word #18: The Wonderful “ZZ”
The Coming Storm
"The coming storm" is a very short audible book I listened to from Michael Lewis. It is included in my audible plan and I just can't resist the freebie. It's a habit I have tried to get rid of for years, but... What I try to achieve have never be matched by what I actually … Continue reading The Coming Storm
Poem Of The Day #12
I see you looking at me in the dim light across the noisy space of the restaurant. Is that you? Or am I dreaming? Love from the distance past, still prickly. For a while, it seemed resigned to be forgotten, but then it reappears, with a new force and a new perspective. Your restrained self … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #12
New Word #17 : In A Group
Many years ago, when I first encountered different names for different groups in English, I was really shocked. I had never imagined a "group" of birds is any different from a "group" of wild dogs before, and it took me a while to adapt. Here I use quotes on "group" because they are not supposed … Continue reading New Word #17 : In A Group
New Word #16: Words Recently Learned
Poem Of The Day #11
The grandpa is the king of his modest castle, where the mother and the newborn come to live after the father dies. The grandpa is proud of the family longevity-- anybody who dies young is an abnormality and an affront to him. The mother--his daughter--is treated as an unpromising child. Her passivity is considered burdensome; … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #11
The Ex-Boyfriend (Flash Fiction #20)
"Sulun, I heard that you were promoted to a position in Washington DC. Are you going to come back from time to time?" Pammy says. Sulun was Pammy's college friend and he's a dinner guest at Pammy's place with Pammy and her husband Pan. "Promotion? It's more like a demotion in the disguise of a … Continue reading The Ex-Boyfriend (Flash Fiction #20)
New Word #15: Raconteur
Racounteur means a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way. It's said it has a French origin and it comes from the French word "raconter", which means 'relate, recount'. My question is if it comes from "raconter", who takes the trouble to change the tail to "teur"? I can just imagine this … Continue reading New Word #15: Raconteur
The Learning Environment (Flash Fiction #19)
"You have been watching soccer for two hours." Pammy says to her husband Pan, "and look even Armee is addicted to TV now." Armee is the couple's tabby cat, who's sitting on the sofa right next to Pan, assuming a similar posture as Pan, except that the little feline occasionally licks himself. "It's my favorite … Continue reading The Learning Environment (Flash Fiction #19)
Witchcraft And Cat Woman
Although I didn't grow up reading science fiction or fantasy books, I've always loved TV shows about witchcraft or cat woman. They are quirky, fun, frightening, charming and a lot more. That's until I read this book "Witch, A Tale Of Terror". Suddenly my happy witch meal becomes un-chewable and unappetizing when I know that … Continue reading Witchcraft And Cat Woman
Reflection Of The Day
I have a pessimist and an optimist in my mind--they fight often, speak loud, and rarely stop. If the pessimists talks about wrinkles, the optimist will dwell on experiences. If the pessimist talks about friends scattered far and wide, the optimist will point out the absence of peer pressure and endless comparison. If the pessimist … Continue reading Reflection Of The Day
Quote Of The Day #7
Really? Giving orders and being obedient are the same? I thought they are the opposite. Wait, let me think. They are the same only under the condition that the obedient party is willing to accept the order. And willingness can be hard to define and often the line between willingness and unwillingness is blurred and … Continue reading Quote Of The Day #7
New Word #14: Is There A Word For This?
I encountered the word “Tsundoku” in heterodoxbuddhism’s post here. Tsundoku is a Japanese term that means one who buys books but don’t read them. And this inspires me to think of other words that should have existed but for one reason or another don’t exist in English. Conversationer. This is not a word, but I … Continue reading New Word #14: Is There A Word For This?
Love’s Manifestation (Flash Fiction #18)
Pammy and her husband Pan, the forever arguing and loving couple, come home from a dinner party at the house of Pan's office manager of the financial company Pan works for. "How nice Mrs. Marino is. She gives me her recipe for her risotto." Pammy says. "You praised that rice dish too eagerly, almost like … Continue reading Love’s Manifestation (Flash Fiction #18)
Notes Taken Of Mother’s Day Conversation
All The Loving Mothers
There are so many wonderful mothers that I don't know where to start. Here I am going to list them--it's an inexhaustible list and I can only list a few. Real life mothers and literary mothers are going to be mixed together because they coexist in my mind without much difference to each other. Mothers … Continue reading All The Loving Mothers
Language Chaos And Empress Ki
New York City, as an international metropolis, is saved from a chaotic language scene due to the fact that English is so universal now that most people learn some English in school. In many parts of the world, for example in a large part of Asia, this is not enough and extra training in language … Continue reading Language Chaos And Empress Ki
Poem Of The Day #10
It happened without a cause; it ended with little fuss. No tears, no sulk, no whine, but the heart ached quietly. Not realizing the severity until long afterwards, you try to mend, but it refuses to heal. Heart is a temperamental misfit, a wayward friend, a silent killer. Oh, the heartless heart, how can I … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #10
Advise Her, Please
Have you ever had a friend who always ask you for advice but never take any of your advice? I have such a friend. So why does she ask then? Sometimes I think she just wants to ask me to make it look like she has consulted others. Or she just wants to poke holes … Continue reading Advise Her, Please
At The Hair Salon (Flash Fiction #17)
Arlan, Maylin, Wani are doing their hair at the hair salon, although only Maylin has the money to do the flat ironing and highlighting. They always book the same time so that they can talk and catch up with each other. Sometimes if they don't think they have talked enough, they would go to the … Continue reading At The Hair Salon (Flash Fiction #17)
The Acupuncturist (Flash Fiction #16)
For some reason, New Jersey has a higher rate of spring allergy than other places, which is puzzling since there aren't more flowers or trees here than other states. People will tell you when you first come that you won't have allergy for several years, and then gradually you will develop itchy eyes and running … Continue reading The Acupuncturist (Flash Fiction #16)
New Word #13: Learned Amid Pandemic
oximeter: an instrument for measuring the proportion of oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood. zoonotic: pertaining to a zoonosis, which means a disease that can be transmitted from animals to people or, more specifically, a disease that normally exists in animals but that can infect humans. endemic and epidemic and pandemic: Endemic means the baseline, or expected, … Continue reading New Word #13: Learned Amid Pandemic
A Mafia Romance (Flash Non-Fiction #15)
Photo by bantersnaps on Unsplash Ever since I watched the video "Bullets Over Broadway", I've been interested in stories of mafia romance--maybe it is already a literary genre. In this early Woody Allen production mixing anxious witty remarks with some gangster flair, a cash starved Broadway play desperately seeks financial backing, and one of the … Continue reading A Mafia Romance (Flash Non-Fiction #15)
Past, Present And Future
In the summer of 1830, Russia was experiencing one of its worst pandemics. Cholera spread far and wide. A sip of contaminated water or a little unwitting touch of sewage will make people sick--diarrhea, vomiting, shock and death quickly followed. The tsar imposed quarantines and travel restrictions and cordons guarded by the military on many … Continue reading Past, Present And Future
Merry Month Of May
Plans are made to be changed; reading lists are drawn to be unfinished. That's my motto for May. When I don't have to be ashamed of my own "grand" plan, I feel deliriously happy. As a slow reader, I need all the encouragement from an unhinged delusion of my reading capabilities. The fact is I … Continue reading Merry Month Of May
Conflict
In 1231 AD, the Mongolians--my ancestors--invaded Korea. The mighty Mongolian army, which at the time occupied a big region stretching from Middle East to East Asia, met with a resounding defeat by the little kingdom on the Korean Peninsular--the Mongolians were dumbfounded and couldn't believe what had happened. For the next 40 years, Mongolians invaded … Continue reading Conflict
Haoyan Do 