What to read when you’re feeling down

Office view on a rainy afternoon. No, I didn't get much work done that day. My writing, of course. If you expected something else, you clearly haven't been paying attention. Shameless self-promotion aside, I picked 3 snippets I have written at various points in my life that I think can help lift up your mood. …

The second thing, the second kind of pain

Image description: The ride back home after work is quite pleasant if you don't count the horde of vehicles, the oppressing heat, and the maddening noise I have to admit that I am no expert at moving on from my past. I still cringe whenever I remember that time the restaurant server said "Enjoy your …

These extraordinary times we find ourselves in

Things were soooooo simpler back then 2021 has been, and this is putting it mildly, wild as fuck. We Vietnamese thought the first three COVID waves were the entire movie but no no no, they were just the trailer. The movie came in late April, and it hasn't ended. First it hit Saigon where my …

Let’s talk about death, shall we?

Death is such a macabre topic to examine, even more so as the new year has just arrived at the doorstep. But then I realised there isn't an ideal occasion to address death. Now is as good as any other time. I suspect to live fully requires a healthy and honest grasp of our own mortality. …

1/20

  The climb (and the insanity that accompanied it) In December 2017, I set a goal of writing at least 50,000 words in the calendar year 2018. Work-related stuff doesn't count - this was my side project. I was positive that this was for me, for my development. Although I would (and did) publish my pieces …

Ten years, in ten moments

My life has taken a few insane turns, but none holds a candle to November 7, 2008. On this date, I said goodbye to my family and boarded the plane to Singapore to study. That is how my journey away from home started. This year marks the 10th anniversary and so invites more solemn reflection. …

[Book Review] The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck aka Not Your Typical Self-Help Book

  This book came to me highly recommended by a close friend whose judgement I trust. So I fished out the last bucks in my wallet and bought it. Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is now the third book I have ever read in one sitting, after Orwell's 1984 and Coelho's The Alchemist. To be truthful, …

Snickers, broccoli, salmon, or hot choc?

Once upon a time when things were simpler, I went down the dark path and tried dieting. I was really psyched. You know, good health for body and mind and all. Plus, I was exploring the possibility of a career in modelling. I figured I'd fix my body first, then my face, then my posture. …

The piston and the brake

In 75 BC, Julius Caesar, then 25 and unaccomplished, was captured by pirates in the Mediterranean sea and held for ransom. Caesar was insulted at the amount and demanded that the pirates ask for more, which they did. While his friends raised the sum, Caesar joined the pirates on their ship in games, exercises, and …

Defending the Ancients: A Memoir of the Game

Foreword "Bait," Captain muttered under his breath. I threw myself at the unsuspecting butcher, my claws digging deep into his bloated and rotten shoulder. Almost immediately, four shadows pounced on me from the fog, punching, stabbing, hacking. I latched onto the butcher with every ounce of strength I could muster, telling myself this would all …