Category: Diary

The Crazy Monday

Image by Iván Tamás from Pixabay Every Monday has its own craziness. And instead of concentrating all my energy in handling the craziness, I often have existential questions coming to my mind in this most inopportune day. I can't believe it. This almost never happens on a Friday or a weekend when I have more … Continue reading The Crazy Monday →

Things I Have Unlearned

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay Unlearning is as important as learning in our life, and often unlearning is harder than learning because unlearning requires the wisdom to recognize the unsuitability of the past learning, the will for the change, and the diligence to apply the change. A lot of time I just feel that … Continue reading Things I Have Unlearned →

The Holiday Binge

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay I am wondering what I am going to binge watch this holiday season. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I love a show with a good script and I don't mind how the actors and actresses look. I mean even if each is 200 years old, … Continue reading The Holiday Binge →

Learn Something New Every Day

The Mystery Of Talking With Others Years ago in a university in Pennsylvania, I suddenly discovered the delight of group projects, for which people bounce ideas around and try to get things done with joint efforts. Why hadn't it happened to me before that point? I don't know. Since then, I've often experienced of learning … Continue reading Learn Something New Every Day →

Wishful Thinking

I wish that one day when we wake up, the morning news can tell us that Mondays have disappeared, forever from our life, together with other annoying things. Every Monday, I would inevitably think of existential thoughts, like "the meaning of life", "the futility of struggle", "the delusional dreams", "the useless suffering" etc. And needless … Continue reading Wishful Thinking →

Change Causes Anxiety

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay One day many years ago, I was reading a romantic story about two lovers--one saves the other from an impending danger and a certain death. I thought to myself what my parents would do in such a situation. My conclusion was that they would certainly save each other, only … Continue reading Change Causes Anxiety →

Thinking Ahead

Photo by rikka ameboshi from Pexels I've never written serialized posts before. I've always wanted to try, but not knowing how to proceed. My stories are usually scattered, as disorganized as my wandering brain. Serialization requires some discipline, some control, some pre-determined plan etc, all of which I am not good at. The only thing … Continue reading Thinking Ahead →

Life And Love

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay This is based on a true story. Let's just say her name was Arong. She worked as a team manager for a big energy company that provides electricity to a big Asian city about four decades ago. As in many developing countries, the energy company is … Continue reading Life And Love →

A Habit Outliving Its Usefulness

Image by naoamano from Pixabay My grandmother on my mother's side spent the first thirty years of her life in a fishing village, where the only livelihood was fishing or fishing related trades. That was before the arrival of modern boats and other modern equipment. Needless to say, unexpected weather conditions or ocean waves could … Continue reading A Habit Outliving Its Usefulness →

New Word #65: Tea And Coffee

Image by Melk Hagelslag from Pixabay Tea my cup of tea: something one likes or excels. "I see already that storytelling isn't my cup of tea." a storm in a tea cup: a small event that has been exaggerated out of proportion. tempest in a teapot: same meaning as above. tea party: 1. a social … Continue reading New Word #65: Tea And Coffee →

A New Approach To Language

Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay My memory is so bad that I start to lose self confidence. In order to boost my spirit, I decide to learn a new language, but this time I want to do it differently from what I did with English (as a non-native speaker). My English learning process has … Continue reading A New Approach To Language →

Manage Blog Time

Image by Adina Voicu from Pixabay It takes me a long time to realize that other people's time management strategies might not work for me--in order to better manage my blogs, I need to design something suitable for myself. The biggest issue for me is that I can't map out my time rigorously and expect … Continue reading Manage Blog Time →

Hurricane Henri

Image by Jan Mallander from Pixabay On Friday morning, I was happy to see the regular weather for Edison and thought to myself that nothing would happen to us while Hurricane Henri will skirt the New England coast to disappear into the sea. However, thirteen hours later, about two hours ago, when I checked the … Continue reading Hurricane Henri →

It’s Friday

Image by KERBSTONE from Pixabay From Wikipedia, it is said that the fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia--Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom “Friday” is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen. What is a Norse goddess? I don't know. I am curious but not curious enough … Continue reading It’s Friday →

Possible Thrillers

I received a comment asking me if I can write short thrillers. What an interesting comment. I've never thought about this. And also I've never thought that I am capable of it since my life is relatively dull and uneventful, my mind is relatively embedded in its usual trivial domestic concerns, and my imagination is … Continue reading Possible Thrillers →

Mellow Fruitfulness

Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay When I was young, living in the staff quarter of a rural college south of Mongolian steppe, I often heard fruit stories from my mother's friends who had migrated from the south. My favorite bits were oranges knocking on your shoulder, waking up with olives about to jump into … Continue reading Mellow Fruitfulness →

Sunday’s Story

Image by justraveling from Pixabay I went to the grocery store this morning. As I was pulling in the parking lot, I saw a woman sitting in the car next to me--she is crying while talking on the phone. I felt the urge to go comfort her, but I knew this couldn't be done since … Continue reading Sunday’s Story →

Instant Response Too

Image by Michael Treu from Pixabay This is a follow up to the "Instant Response" I posted before, which unexpectedly has gained more comments than my other posts. Let's walk through the incident again. Last Thursday ago, I went to Walmart to get my second Moderna vaccine shot. The pharmacist, also an immigrant who's of … Continue reading Instant Response Too →

The July 4th Long Weekend

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay There are a lot of fireworks, big or small, in Edison Township over the weekend and one very exuberant one just blasted off outside of my window by a neighbor I guess. This year's celebration is obviously more intense than last year, or any previous year. … Continue reading The July 4th Long Weekend →

Instant Response

Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay Yesterday, I went to get my second shot of Moderna vaccine at the local Walmart. The pharmacist is very young, probably just out of the pharmacy school. He is very cute and also an immigrant, probably from Middle East somewhere. He explained to me that after getting the shot … Continue reading Instant Response →

Cicada 2021

Image by USA-Reiseblogger from Pixabay I haven't heard any sound from cicada in Edison, but it is said in the Princeton township 30 miles to the west, cicada is taking over the neighborhood. They climb on every branch and sing all day long and shed their skins everywhere. There's a very interesting article about New … Continue reading Cicada 2021 →

The New Features

I have heard about the unbearable block editor of WordPress a lot from other people who had enjoyed the ease of use of the classic editor before, but I started WP last year on the block editor, and I don't have a better experience of the previous editor to compare it to. However I've experienced … Continue reading The New Features →

New Word #35: True Or False

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash Related With Being True veridiction: A statement that is true according to the worldview of a particular subject, rather than objectively true. verisimilitude: the appearance of being true or real. verity: a true principle or belief, especially one of fundamental importance. veracity: conformity to facts; accuracy. verification: the process … Continue reading New Word #35: True Or False →

All The Loving Fathers

Image by Antony Trivet from Pixabay This is a corresponding post for "All The Loving Mothers" written on Mother's day in May. Laid Back Fathers Laid back fathers are usually nice and fun loving, leaving most of the domestic decisions to their spouses. They will step up to take charge when their wife nag them … Continue reading All The Loving Fathers →

Targeted

Photo by Christopher Gower on Unsplash Language Ever since I started to learn Thai for 15 minutes a day, I've seen advertisement about language learning programs one after another. I used to hear a lot about Rosetta Stone software years ago, but now it has disappeared--no advertisement from Rosetta Stone. However there are plenty of … Continue reading Targeted →

Don’t See The Contradiction

After reading Herb's blog about Walmart protester who is eager to buy Walmart merchandise, I can think of people in my life who are unaware of the contradiction in their behavior. Even if one points it out to them, they still don't see it. The Crazy Lovers Or Haters This happened many years ago among … Continue reading Don’t See The Contradiction →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

The Feisty Centenarian

Shitsui Hakoishi is a 104-year-old woman who carried the Olympic torch on March 28 for 200 meters in Japan, in the pouring rain. Her son and nephew, a septuagenarian and an octogenarian, accompanied her. And her nephew caught a chill in the rain and died soon afterwards. There were rumors that she died too due … Continue reading The Feisty Centenarian →

Recipe For Mishaps

I know M who is prone to traffic accidents. Not big ones, usually small incidents like scratching somebody's bumper or rear ending the car before him at a red light. Mostly his own fault. He takes it in a strange fatalistic way as if it is something that befalls on him, rather than something caused … Continue reading Recipe For Mishaps →

Miscommunication

I can never read a doctor's handwriting. Any doctor. It's just not legible. It's a wonder how pharmacists can get the correct medicine for you based on those unstructured scrawls on a little piece of prescription paper. Is there a secret communication code wired in that illegible writing on the prescription? I don't know. It's … Continue reading Miscommunication →

Give Friends Suggestions

We often give people suggestions, some giving more suggestions than others. Since I like to talk, when given a chance, and can't shut up--actually I am a typical introvert, not an extrovert at all, and I don't know how I've become a talkative introvert-- I'm often asked for suggestions. Now looking back, I think it … Continue reading Give Friends Suggestions →

Optimist vs. Pessimist

If you ever go to a sales meeting, you will hear a lot of witticisms about optimist vs. pessimist. "An optimist see opportunities in every difficulty; a pessimist see difficulties in every opportunity." "A pessimist see a dark tunnel and an optimist see the light at the end of the tunnel." Or something similar. However … Continue reading Optimist vs. Pessimist →

Quotes Of The Day #5

George Orwell's essays often point out our foibles and failings without pessimism or cynicism or anger. I love his optimism and his fighting spirit. Often I feel that each of his essays can be extended into a book, and a lot of nuances and details can be elaborated even further. I wish Audible can make … Continue reading Quotes Of The Day #5 →

April Fool Unfooled

Whether April Fool's day originated in England, France, or Netherlands, it is still in dispute, however in modern times, it has spread throughout the world. For many years, playing practical jokes on this particular day has become popular in Asian countries too, which is at least partially fueled by government officials who want to put … Continue reading April Fool Unfooled →

“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” →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

A Procrastinator

Remember Hurricane Sandy eight and half years ago? It happened at the end of October. As a typical procrastinator, I'm usually very busy in the last several days of the month. A lot of things were due and I was in half panic mode. Guess what, Sandy hit us hard and our electricity was knocked … Continue reading A Procrastinator →

Over-Preparation

H went for an interview to get a contractor job and came back a little distraught. It's a disaster, according to him. I helped him prepare--revising his resume and brushing up his English etc. Well, English is not his first language and the interview is rather important to him. He needed all the help he … Continue reading Over-Preparation →

She Will Survive

My friend M called last night from the West Coast that she was being contact traced and had to go for a virus test. It's all because one business meeting she had, during which they didn't wear mask and their talk was very long. M has been very careful indeed, but still things happen. Now … Continue reading She Will Survive →

Politics In Small Town

When Jun Choi was running his mayoral campaign for Edison, New Jersey in 2005, many Asians I knew didn't vote for him, not because they had anything against his candidacy, but rather due to the fact that they were content with the way things were and saw no need to replace the incumbent. That's exactly … Continue reading Politics In Small Town →

My Unbelievable Friend

Let's just call him Wai, which is not his real name, and I've changed several details so that nobody can recognize him even if they read this blog. However the story is true. I've always felt that at least half of my friends are mad, and I think my friends are probably thinking everybody else … Continue reading My Unbelievable Friend →

Love Is A Mess

She was very young, in her twenties, walking right in front of me, pushing a shopping cart full of daily essentials. Suddenly she turned around, looking past me, and said, "Where are you?" I looked around likewise and saw her husband, loitering in a little distance, with two kids in tow of about four years … Continue reading Love Is A Mess →

Weird Winter

These are some of the weird things I witness during the winter. People wear sandals barefooted. I know it is indoors, but still it is winter. Now it almost becomes a trend to be barefooted. Too bad my feet are not pretty and I tend to hide them in socks and shoes. People eat ice … Continue reading Weird Winter →

The Owner Of “Maahi Repair”

Maahi is not his real name. Since I am not sure whether he desires this kind of publicity, I have to change his name to tell his story. He's a graduate of Indian Institute Of Technology, and he loves cars. He came to America twenty-five years ago, attending graduate school in New Jersey and intending … Continue reading The Owner Of “Maahi Repair” →

Frozen

I've seen this neighbor's dog in the neighborhood for quite a while, but I can never tell if his barking is a gesture of friendship or aggression. Thus I don't know if I should stop to pet him or to flee. His language, let's call it Doglish, is frozen at the point of not conveying … Continue reading Frozen →

A Romantic Comedy Or Not

Me: "We need to cook some jollof rice today since we promised that we would do that this weekend and share the result with others." My Mind: "I feel like sitting on the couch all day today. I have to say no. I have also sent messages to the body to stay on the couch." … Continue reading A Romantic Comedy Or Not →

Alternative Valentine’s Day Tradition

Women give men chocolate as gift on Valentine's day in Japan. It's a tradition since the end of the WWII, when a chocolate company tried to market chocolate to Japanese people. In those days both chocolate and Valentine's Day were something new in Japan--rarely anybody ate chocolate or observed Valentine's day. The chocolate shops were … Continue reading Alternative Valentine’s Day Tradition →

Saturday’s Little Woes

https://twitter.com/Haoyando/status/1358166073791705088 Suddenly everyone is double masked.Me too.Dragon Fruit is $6.88 a piece -- Robbery.Bought a book from Betterworldbooks.com with the library label still attached.Why are these people at the car wash?Don't they know another snow storm is coming tomorrow?Why is this white haired eighty-year-old out and driving today?The road is jammed; half the right lane … Continue reading Saturday’s Little Woes →

Wednesday, Not Tuesday

https://twitter.com/Haoyando/status/1357101310852612097 I even forgot today is Wednesday. Am I losing my mind? The book is falling apart with pages breaking away one by one. A little touch of my finger, a page is off from the binding edge. Also my failed sweet rice chicken dish is waiting for me (in its most unappetizing way) from … Continue reading Wednesday, Not Tuesday →