A holiday cleanup reveals a book under the sofa-- the worn out pages curvy and dusty, presenting a story half read, long forgotten. The movable tents called "ger", the exotic boots called "gutal", in the frozen world of northwestern Mongolia, where Tuvans, who are Mongolians, and Kazaks lived side by side. The riverbed is a … Continue reading Being Thankful 2023
Month: November 2023
I Just Need One More Idea
I really don't want to say this, but last night I was in a desperate search of an idea to tie several experiences and thoughts together with certain degree of coherence. I didn't think there was a real cohesion in it but an semblance of it was essential. Yes, the more one doesn't have it, … Continue reading I Just Need One More Idea
Battle For Schools And Grades
I was trying to explain to someone about the schools in Central Jersey area and I said, "it is a little crazy, right? Aren't you surprised?" "Oh no," she said, "I was expecting something like this. I had known about the craziness of schools here before we came." It was my turn to become surprised. … Continue reading Battle For Schools And Grades
Friday Before Thanksgiving
I am already planning what to buy tomorrow, which is the last day one can get quality groceries from mainstream American stores. After tomorrow, one has to wait until after Thanksgiving for the stores to refill its shelves to the normal level. This year will be the first year in my life that I encounter … Continue reading Friday Before Thanksgiving
A Quote In View
I just turned on my Kindle Fire tablet, pressed the first downloaded book, flipped through the unread pages casually. And this poem jumped into my view: "...drunk so deep the cup of bitter fateAs that poor wretch who cannot, cannot love:He bears a load which nothing can remove,a killing, withering weight. He smiles--his sorrow's deadliest … Continue reading A Quote In View
You Have To Look Like You Know What You Are Doing
Time flies when one's having fun, but actually time flies whether one's having fun or not. Suddenly, Thanksgiving is around the corner again. Somehow I feel like I just had the previous Thanksgiving a month or two ago. In a short span of one or two months, a whole year has passed by, leaving me … Continue reading You Have To Look Like You Know What You Are Doing
My Mother’s Rice Riot (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction # 173 The shortage of rice snack right now reminds me of my mother, who had her own version of rice riot regularly at home. As you know when I was young, we were living on the southern border of Mongolian steppe, where rice was considered an exotic commodity, at least in those … Continue reading My Mother’s Rice Riot (Flash Fiction)
The Rice Snack
I've heard about the rice problem for several weeks, but I've never acted on it or tried to stock up on rice products. One reason is that I've been busy and haven't paid attention to what is happening around me for a while. Another reason is that whenever I step into the Asian grocery stores, … Continue reading The Rice Snack
Quote Of The Day: Poetry Or Not Poetry
I read a poetry book and then found out that there are many people online making videos about this book (together with other similar books). Basically people say that books like this one is not really poetry. We are the generation you spent years overprotecting then threw to the wolves. Food is not the enemy. … Continue reading Quote Of The Day: Poetry Or Not Poetry
The Garden Of Flowers Or Words
There's a couple living not far from me, and they are diligent gardeners. I often see them busy in their front yard, planting, clipping, digging, weeding during the spring or summer time. However their front yard still looks as unattended and neglected as those of other immigrants, who think that mowing the lawn is the … Continue reading The Garden Of Flowers Or Words
Romance Of The Steppe
I am trying to write a romance that is going to get rid of all the prevailing romance elements that I dislike, like the inevitable rescue scenes, rivalry, jealousy, frog to prince, love bombing etc. I want to write about two normal people who fall in love and talk their experiences and emotions in a … Continue reading Romance Of The Steppe
Business Idea Goes Awry (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #172 Dameng has a relatively stable job at Rutgers University, but he is looking for some extra income. He is not an ambitious person and will be quite content with what he has if the inflation is not so high. Recently he has to replace the air conditioning at home, which is in … Continue reading Business Idea Goes Awry (Flash Fiction)
Haoyan Do 