Jul 17Member-onlyHow to Embrace Uncertainty and the UnknownPlus, is everyone a better writer than me? And other existential questions I recently quit my job as an accountant to focus on writing and editing full-time. This is my first official week doing just that. But this is not one of those “I quit my job to pursue my…Careers5 min read
May 31Member-onlyThe Duality of Life ExperiencesIt’s okay to be both — Recently, I had three separate experiences (or shall we say, scenes) which brought forth some very life-changing realizations. And with that, the realizations came acceptance about the beauty of life and how I can live it better. Below, I relay them in three scenes. Scene 1 I’m sitting in front of my…Life Lessons6 min read
May 31Member-onlyHow to Write a Novel in Three MonthsDon’t try this at home (plus thoughts on process) — As I write this, it’s been almost two months since I last wrote for this newsletter1 and almost three weeks since I finished a 90,000 draft of my novel. Whew. I’m still trying to grapple with what I did. Is it crazy to write a book in such a short…Writing7 min read
May 31Member-onlyAmbitious at Any AgeThe thing that’s hard to teach The other day, I saw this in my LinkedIn feed. This came from one of my former bosses, the woman who gave me my first job right out of college. …Ambition6 min read
Dec 31, 2021Member-onlyBooks That Changed My Life in 2021Love, heartbreak, survival, belonging, and so many themes this year — This year, I made headlines in my own personal reading journey. I read a total of 70 books. But to anyone outside of my immediate circle, this doesn’t really mean anything except for the fact that wow, it’s 17 more books than I read in 2020. …Books8 min read
Dec 10, 2021Member-onlyI Spent a Month Writing a Novel and Got Burned OutAnd yet I still want to keep doing it — This post has been sitting open on my computer for the past two days. Two days of gloriously reading an endless amount of articles online, watching videos and daydreaming (or rather, thinking about) watching The Great British Baking Show: The Beginnings before it goes off Netflix at the end of…Writing6 min read
Oct 4, 2021Member-onlyHow Will You Remember Your Life?On Reevaluating Our Time — The other day, I went to the pharmacy to pick up some medication for my mom, and of course, I couldn’t help but peek. It was diazepam, a type of anxiety medication also used for seizures and muscle spasms. Now, I can tell you for a fact that my mom…Writing9 min read
Sep 19, 2021Member-onlyTales of the Age of Youthful IgnoranceIf my past self could talk, this is what she’d say — In 2017, we took a trip to Disneyland to celebrate my daughter’s fourth birthday. (Oh, how I miss Disneyland). While driving to our hotel, our stomachs grumbled, reminding us that we hadn’t eaten in hours. Couple that with our desire to “try out” an In-N-Out burger, we stopped by the…Feelings7 min read
Sep 9, 2021Member-onlyDoes Success Make You Less Humble?A tale of slight narcissism from yours truly — Think about all the great moments of your life. Your first kiss. Your first car. Your first job. Your high school prom. Your college graduation. Your wedding day. Your firstborn. The list goes on. We all have those moments where everything seems to be going just right, where you think…Writehere5 min read
Sep 5, 2021Member-onlyLost in Translation in the 21st CenturyOn slowly losing my native tongue and getting it back — In my 20+ years of living in America, there is one question that I’ve been asked the most, which is, “Were you born here?” Here, the person gestures without gesturing, designates America, or specifically where I live, Oregon. I tell them, “No, I was born in Vietnam.” The person would…Language7 min read
