I have been practicing Taiji for roughly fifteen years. I practice for half an hour to forty-five minutes a day, which is up from five minutes, begrudgingly, several years into my practice. In fact, I started attending a second class a week (and then a third) because I couldn’t make myself practice on the daily.… Continue Reading
I come from a long line of worriers. Or rather, one great big worrier–my mother. She is a champion worrier who can turn anything into a chance to fret. It doesn’t matter how big or small a problem is–she can inflate it into a catastrophe. For example. She and my father were at Fresh and… Continue Reading
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This quote is attributed to Einstein even though there is no evidence that he said it. Regardless of origin and questionable wording, the message itself is true. It’s folly to keep doing something in the same way… Continue Reading
Family is considered sacrosanct in society. At least, the idea of family is. It’s given lip service and dragged up any time a Republican resigns in disgrace (as in spending more time with his family–and it’s nearly always a ‘his’). Prejudicial attitudes are wrapped in faux concern for the children, which is laughable because it’s… Continue Reading
When I was a kid, whenever I used to complain about something, my mother would tell me, “Life isn’t fair!” Even as a young child, this filled me with instant rage and I would retort, “Well, it should be!” At six or seven, I couldn’t articulate why that phrase filled me with such fury, but… Continue Reading
Yesterday was a big day for me. I say that with tongue firmly in cheek, but it’s also true. It wouldn’t have been a big day before the hospital, but it was after. Why? Because the most noticeable change to me after what happened to me is the loss of stamina. So, yeah, what would… Continue Reading
I don’t talk about my father much because, well, that’s actually a part of this post. He is very much an old-fashioned Taiwanese man (emphasis on man) in many ways. He lived in America for roughly 25 years before deciding there was more for him in Taiwan. As a result, many of his ideas of… Continue Reading
Before my experience with, well, death, I considered myself a cranky old lady who was a mild version of the ‘well, actually’ dude that everyone hates. I had a mania for the truth in part because I grew up with very unreliable narrators (my parents). My mother forgets the bad things that happen or spins… Continue Reading
Family dysfunction is the gift that keeps on giving. I’m 50 and still have to deal with the ramifications. The pandemic has really brought up the issues in part because Taiwan is going through a strict lockdown. Side Note: It’s killing me how seriously Taiwan took one spreader. Granted, they are a landlocked country with… Continue Reading
When I turned twenty-six, my mother started a fifteen year campaign to get me pregnant. Moving to Taiwan didn’t stop her agenda–she just ramped it up every time she saw me. Some of the reasons she proffered: it was a woman’s biggest duty; it was special for a mother when her daughter had a child*;… Continue Reading