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
