Above, I was trying to create a photo for my “About” page. Look how big my hands are. They are gigantic. The camera adds ten pounds, which all fall upon my hands. The kindle fire I used to take my picture is unusually big too. Also I don’t know how to add a picture in WordPress and the only way I know is to insert a link from Twitter. The picture to my right is the ancient beauty I think I resemble. Yes, I am plain by today’s standard, but one thousand years ago my small eyes are fashionable.
I am an Asian, living in Edison, New Jersey. The reason I spell out where I live is because Edison township is as famous as New York City– I mean among Asians. Many Asians who have some knowledge of America know about New York City and the little town called Edison.
Please do not laugh when you hear New Jersey. I know some people inevitably will since once or twice somebody asked me “So why is New Jersey called ‘Garden State’?” Actually I have no idea. I didn’t even know the existence of the name “Garden State” until I was asked such a question. Whether New Jersey lives up to its own claim, varied opinions exist, and I am OK one way or another since I don’t know what is the standard people use to make the judgement call.
I like Central Jersey for its diversity, its immigrant population, its Asian grocery stores, its convenient distance to New York, its close proximity to the ocean. The last two characteristics exist mostly in my imagination since I rarely travel to New York, which is only 35 miles away from Edison, and I almost never go to see the ocean, which is 15 miles away.
I do translation, editing, tutoring. I have to say I have a love and hate relationship with English language. If you are also a non-native speaker, you know what I am talking about. For example, today I had a little struggle with “the 21st century”. Is “the” necessary?
The name “Haoyando” means a lot of good things to say. I probably should have got myself a cooler name. I know, but… a cooler name will not be a true representation of me since I’ve never been one of those cool popular people. I am an awkward kid and adult; I can be humble or proud, but usually at the wrong moment; I procrastinate on crucial decisions, with disastrous results; I’ve often loved the wrong guy, and one of them has become the ghost of my memory forever–no amount of exorcism can drive him away; I am physically lazy and fortunately I face the computer screen most of the time without much need for physical exertion.
I will add more content to this page in the future.
Haoyan Do 