I've given up on resolutions for years now. I like to do a one-word focus for every new year instead. This time around the sun, I'm aiming to RESTART. To me, this means having a fresh perspective on things and concentrating a lot on forgiveness. For others. But maybe even more so, for myself. One tiny example of this: On New Year's Eve, I didn't have the planned fun festive celebration I had anticipated. Our family get-together got derailed by sickness (colds--though I, thankfully, … [Read more...]
December Already?!
December 14, 2022 Leave a Comment
How can it be December? The calendar must have sped up. I’ve conceded to this time warp, though, by beginning to listen to Pentatonix music. For some reason, as a kid I used to really like “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Maybe it was the fun repetition or countdown of numbers. (Modern update: My nieces and nephews now do coordinated hand motions to the song.) I also like reflecting over the year as it closes out, so here’s my writerly spin on the List of Twelve: 12 Drafts DraftingMaybe … [Read more...]
New Year (Writing) Resolutions
January 3, 2022 6 Comments
Hope everyone had a safe and relaxing holiday season! I wish every day of my life was filled with tinsel and lights, like so: Alas! It's on to the New Year. Which brings to mind resolutions, especially of the writing variety. As an author, I actually don't start fresh on January 1st. Instead, I use a system of constant goals. For example, I have a standalone mystery that I've been tinkering around with since last year. Except I didn't quite make my personal cutoff date for constructing a … [Read more...]
Belated Chinese New Year
February 15, 2016 6 Comments
"A thrilling time is in your immediate future." With all the craziness of this new year, I haven't done a proper Chinese New Year post. So Happy New Year and gung hay fat choy! Monkey years are generally positive and optimistic, so I hope it's a joyous one for you all. It's a fire monkey year; fire monkeys tend to be ambitious and adventurous, but also irritable. My celebration was pretty low-key this time around. Sure, we met up with family and had some delicious food, but we're … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Sesame Sticks
February 12, 2016 Leave a Comment
Sesame sticks: rectangular sesame treats If you haven't already heard, Monday marked the beginning of Chinese New Year. It's the Year of the Monkey in 2016 (the fire monkey, to be exact). Overseas, people get seven days off to celebrate the holidays. When we were visiting Taiwan, people looked at us funny because kids don't get winter break there--their time off is consolidated around the lunar new year. Besides meeting up with family, New Year is a great time to eat tried-and-true treats. … [Read more...]
Chinese New Year or Spring Festival?
January 26, 2015 9 Comments
"The Chinese ancient civilization attracts you." This year Chinese New Year lands on February 19, 2015. Since it's based on the lunar calendar, the start date of CNY shifts annually. The celebration typically lasts about fifteen days. A "Wood Goat" year is slotted for 2015, an event that only happens every 60 years. Since the 20th century, this festive time period has also been known as the Spring Festival in China. This is because when the Chinese adopted the Gregorian calendar in … [Read more...]
The Pantser Resolution
December 29, 2014 4 Comments
"Life brings you a bold and dashing adventure." You know, I thought of myself as a plotter and not a pantser when writing stories. After completing a number of manuscripts now, I realize that I'm more unstructured than I thought. Sure, I still do research and have a general idea of where the story's going. Nonetheless, my characters always surprise me and act in ways that I never thought they would. Endings also tend to shift around for me, based on the protagonist's unforeseen … [Read more...]
Does Age Make a Difference in Relationships?
February 3, 2014 15 Comments
"Rats know the way of rats." -Chinese proverb Gung hay fat choy! 2014 is the Year of the Horse. Twelve animals make up the Chinese zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each exhibits a different personality based on your birth year. As a kid, I remember seeing the zodiac printed on paper placemats in Chinese restaurants (our family establishment had ones with red curlicue borders). Besides the character traits, there's usually a line … [Read more...]
Lion Dance
January 27, 2014 2 Comments
"A lean dog shames its master." -Chinese proverb Chinese New Year (January 31st) is about wealth and prosperity. The common Cantonese phrase said during this time is "Gung Hay Fat Choy," which can be translated to "Wishing you good fortune!" A staple in new year festivities is the lion dance. (Lion dances can also be held on other special occasions, like weddings or new business openings.) The first recorded lion performance dates back to third century B.C. I remember seeing lion dances … [Read more...]
Laughing into next year
January 6, 2014 9 Comments
"Better to make a net than to yearn for fish at the edge of a pond." -Chinese proverb New Year resolutions are about being pro-active. Oftentimes in life (and particularly in writing), you're on the receiving end; the only thing you can change is your attitude. This year, my one word resolution is: laugh. Here are some funny things that have improved my mood over this past year: "Imagine You're a Chinese Immigrant" assignment "9 Wack Things White Guy Say To Deny Their Asian Fetish" … [Read more...]
