Với album thứ 2, Hận tình trong mưa (phát hành năm 1988 hay 1989), Lưu Hồng đu theo trend thời đó với những ca khúc được hòa âm (bởi nhạc sĩ Lê Văn Thiện) cho khiêu vũ. “Tình nghĩa đôi ta chỉ đẹp thế thôi” của Lam Phương được hòa âm với nhịp điệu tango nhộn nhịp. “Môi tím” một ca khúc Trung Hoa được dịch sang lời Việt và hòa âm theo điệu paso. Bài chủ đề, “Hận tình trong mưa”, cũng là một ca khúc ngoạn (Nhật Bản) được Phạm Duy lịch sang lời Việt. Cô trình diễn cũng rất truyền cảm. Phần hòa âm cho “Người yêu dấu” y chang như của Ngọc Lan. Ngọc Lan hát ca khúc này điệu đà và dễ thương. Còn Lưu Hồng thì truyền cảm nhưng có chút bất cần. Mỗi người mỗi vẻ. Tuy album này đã xa xưa nhưng vẫn đáng thưởng thức.

I finally understand the true meaning of suffering after reading Thích Nhất Hạnh’s How to Smile. All these years, I thought I was stressing out thin, worrying too much, and depressing, but I was suffering. Using bitter melon (khổ qua) as a metaphor, Thích Nhất Hạnh explained:

There’s a vegetable in Vietnam called bitter melon. The Chinese word for bitter also means suffering. If you’re not used to eating bitter melon, you may suffer.…

Suffering is bitter, and our natural tendency is to run away from it. Our store consciousness, our unconscious mind, can set up a program of behaviors to help us run away from suffering and approach only what’s pleasant. This prevents us from knowing the goodness of suffering, the healing it can bring.

As I read this passage, his message makes perfect sense. Suffering is inevitable. No matter how good your life is or how much money you have, you will experience suffering. You have to face it. Thích Nhất Hạnh reminded us:

When you don’t know how to handle the suffering inside you or how to help handle the suffering around you, you may try not to be there anymore, thinking that will make you feel better. To commit suicide is an act of despair. It’s not wise

What I have been experiencing all these years is suffering. The longer you live, the more suffering you will have to go through. I am only 47, and yet I suffered the lost of both of my parents. I care deeply about my family, career, and democracy, but they are out of my control. When I feel completely hopeless, I suffer. If I can’t get rid of suffering, I have to embrace it. This is what Thích Nhất Hạnh was getting at:

[O]ur conscious mind knows that suffering has things to teach us, and that we shouldn’t be afraid of it. We are ready to suffer a little bit in order to learn, grow, and heal. We have to use our intelligence. We use our concentration to get insight, to transform the suffering and become an enlightened one, a free person.

Rather than succumb to suffering, I thrive on it. I don’t want suffering to hold me back. I was suffering when I first learned snowboarding. I kept falling hard and I could have given up, but I didn’t want to run away from my suffering. I kept at it until I could turn my suffering into pleasants. After reading this book, I will face suffering with a smile.

My Dearest Đạo,

It is hard to believe that our firstborn turns 16 today. Time flies by so fast. Even though you are taller than me now, I still can see the tiny baby I once held in my arms. I wish you are still a baby, but I have to accept the reality. You are becoming a young fellow. As far as I can see, you can do anything when you want to. You can be a wonderful son when you want to. You can be a great brother when you want to. You can be a great student when you want to. The only question is whether you want to or not.

Taking responsibilities is part of growing up. You are old enough now to think for yourself and your own future. Your mother and I already gave you more-than-enough information to succeed in life. We stressed the important of getting a good education because that how we grew up and that how we knew how to survive. That’s just our views. It is time for you to determine your own path, but don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need our feedback. We are here for you and we will always be here for you until the day we die.

As parents, we always want all of our children to live a good, happy, healthy live. We will do anything for you, but we also want you to do things for yourself. I hope that you understand where we stand and why we did what we did in the last 15 years of your life. Our love for you will never change and our door will never shut you out. We will always welcome you with open arms and hearts, but we also want you to spread your wings and soar as high as you can.

Despite some roadblocks, you are still on the right track. Don’t let digital disillusion pull you off the rail. Stay positive and stay focus. We love you and we are proud of who you are becoming. I don’t know what the future will hold for you, but I can’t want to see it.

Happy 16^th Birthday!

Love,
Dad

Tôi được biết đến tiếng hát Lưu Hồng vào đầu thập niên 90 (lúc tôi mới định cư ở Mỹ) qua những liên khúc cô cộng tác với những ca sĩ cùng thời như Ngọc Lan và Kiều Nga. Trong khi giọng hát Ngọc Lan dịu dàng và ngọt ngào, Kiều Nga mạnh mẽ và trong sáng, thì giọng hát Lưu Hồng có chất sương khói và một chút bất cần. Tuy cô không nổi tiếng như Ngọc Lan và Kiều Nga vào thời điểm đó, tôi vẫn nhớ mãi giọng hát khá riêng biệt và quyến rũ của cô.

Cách đây 20 năm tôi có viết về album Ðêm mưa ngoại ô của cô. Tôi cứ ngỡ rằng cô không thu âm nhiều cho đến gần đây tôi mới phát hiện trên Spotify, cô đã sản xuất những sản phẩm riêng của cô. Năm 1988, Lưu Hồng phát hành album đầu tay cho riêng mình với tựa đề Nhạc vàng chọn lọc. Mới đó mà đã 37 năm rồi.

Album mỡ màng với “Giáng Ngọc” của Ngô Thụy Miên qua nhịp điệu tango lả lướt. Tiếp đến với “Người tình và quê hương” của Trịnh Lâm Ngân qua nhịp điệu boléro mượt mà. Với chất giọng khàn và bụi bụi, Lưu Hồng trình bài ca khúc nào cũng đạt. Đáng lý ra cô nên giữ nguyên đại từ chỉ ngôi của Phạm Duy viết trong ca khúc “Tình hờ”. Khi cô hát “Khi tôi tìm đến anh là tìm vui trong chốc lát” nghe hơi giống kĩ nữ.

Tuy Nhạc vàng chọn lọc không có một chủ đề nhất định, nhưng vẫn đáng được thưởng thức. Những tiếng hòa âm của nhạc sĩ Lê Văn Thiện đưa tôi về với những chuỗi ngày mới chân ướt chân ráo đến Mỹ.

Tesla’s profits fell 71 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024. Thanks to Elon Musk, Tesla went from iconic to garbage. Big props to everyone who participated in protesting Tesla. Your efforts worked. Let’s continue to defend our democracy.

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Last week, I spent five days skiing and snowboarding with my family in Vermont. Today I am still recuperating as I am turning 47. My body is telling me that I am getting old. I was still killing it on the pistes though.

I love skiing and snowboarding and I hope I will continue to do so for many years to come. Being active on the snow helped my beat the winter blue. When I was shredding on the trails, my mind was clear and at ease. I was close to nature and far away from digital. As the weather warming up, which is great for most people, I get a pang of sadness.

I am not taking good care of myself as I should. I haven’t given up alcohol. I haven’t changed my terrible diet. Thankfully I am still healthy at 47. Gout is my only enemy, but I might have it under control with a daily dose of Allopurinol. I hope I won’t get a flare up again.

As for family, my wife and I are on good terms. She gets grumpier over time, but my love for her is still strong enough to tolerate it. My kids are growing fast. I try to spend as much time as I can with them even though they rather spend time on their digital device.

As I am aging, I need to take better of myself physically and mentally. I am more active now than when I was younger. I can’t stress myself out. I can’t fall into depression. I don’t want to deal with anything out of my control. I can’t worry about losing my job. I can’t worry about how my kids will turn out.

For the most part, I am happy. I am lucky to have what I have now. I strive to improve myself incrementally everyday. I hope I will do better at 47. Happy birthday to me.

I was on vacation last week; therefore, I hadn’t followed up with the state of our democracy. I am glad to see Harvard upholds its values and defends its university against the Trump Administration. Harvard also sues the Trump Administration for its unlawful act of freezing federal funds for research in care and treatment for cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes. By standing up to the Trump Administration, Harvard is standing up for our democracy. All other schools should follow, especially Columbia University.

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After watching Parasite, I wanted to more of Joon-ho Bong’s films. Okja, which is available on Netflix, is both cute and cruel. I love the fictionalized superpig, but also can’t get the animal cruelty out of my head. Bong is an animal activist, or he had proven so through Okja. I would love to see Bong make a movie on Trump.