Happy New Year! 2023 has been quite eventful, filled with so many good memories with good people. I feel so lucky, so grateful. We are expecting our first child in a matter of weeks, and no better time to reflect everything that’s happened.
Continue reading “Retrospective on 2023.”Grandma,
I’m sad that I will no longer hear your voice every time I call 05-245310. I’m sad that, when the family gathers together all over from Chiayi, Taichung, Kaoshiung, and California, you won’t be able to sit at the table with everyone. I’m sad that I won’t be able to eat the delicious cabbage and egg soup you make, the fresh fish you get directly from the market, and everything in between. And I’m sorry that I could not see you last year because of COVID. I really wanted to see you again.
Continue reading “In memory of Taiwan grandma.”2020 began with fireworks in Hilo, Hawaii, preventing Bonita and I from falling asleep well past our usual bedtime. No worries; we had spent New Years Eve exploring a waterfall, eating poke, and watching the sun set at the world’s newest beach.
When I think of grandma, I think of all the meals she prepared for the family. For the 21 years I lived at home, grandma cooked the vast majority of dinners. Not only did she care about the taste, the presentation was equally important. She’d carefully choose which dinnerware to use; place the foods down with intention; portioned the amounts to make the dish look aesthetically pleasing. I always told her she was an “artist cook.” The cuisine changed depending on season, as she preferred buying groceries on sale, but the quality was always there.
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen?”
On Friday, 8/22, I was on the MRT (Taipei subway) on my way to dinner.
I hopped onboard and stood next to an English speaking couple. Two seats opened up soon and the three of us took those two seats. I asked where they were from.
Charline said she was from the United States, while Eugene said he was from Scotland. Continue reading “Charline and Eugene, met.”
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen?”
En route to Bangkok, I needed to pee. I pushed open an occupied lavatory, and the embarrassed girl pushed the door shut. Continue reading “Kerry, met.”
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen?”
On the Wulai day hike, I met a software engineer named Janet. We met again for brunch a couple of weeks later in April, along with her boyfriend Dan and my friend Wendy. Continue reading “Janet and Dan, met.”
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen?”
On Friday, March 14, I had dinner with a lovely husband and wife. Tim was an India-born America, while Eileen grew up and moved around in the States. The two met when they were in the peace corps. Continue reading “Tim and Eileen, met.”
Andy Cheng 