Hôm qua Bác Tư Gái của tôi đã ra đi. Tôi không có nhiều kỷ niệm về bác nhưng khuôn mặt hiền hậu của bác luôn khắc sâu trong trí óc của tôi. Bác chưa bao giờ la rầy tôi. Bác luôn hỏi thăm về cuộc sống của tôi bằng những lời nói nhẹ nhàng và những nụ cười dịu dàng. Không rõ bác đã bao nhiêu tuổi nhưng tin chắc rằng bác đã hưởng thọ hơn 90 năm cuộc đời. Thời gian trôi qua nhanh quá. Thấp thoáng các anh chị em của ba tôi đã lần lượt ra đi. Xin cầu mong cho linh hồn của bác được bình yên.

We just came back from my wife’s week-long family reunion in Friendsville, Maryland. I am still feeling exhausted. I got wasted last night from taking tequila shots with our cousins. I was having way too much fun. I need to stay off the liquor for a while.

In the beginning of the week, I didn’t have anyone to drink with, which was good for my gout control. I spent time with the young kids between the pool and the hot tub. I also spent a chunk of time playing ping pong with Đán. His sudden interest in ping pong brought us closer together. In retrospect, I started to get into ping pong when I was around his age now living in the refugee camp in the Philippines.

This year, we got to meet baby Long, our youngest member of the family, for the first time. He’s a cute seven-month-old baby. Other than that, we did our usual reunion activities. We ate, talked, laughed, played games, and took loads of photos. Even though I only got to see many of the family members once a year, we bonded over the years.

The most important thing was that we bonded. No matter what goes on and no matter what happens, we always support each other. That’s what I love about my wife’s family and I am very fortunate to be part of it. I hope we will continue to get together for many years to come.

“Sông sâu biển thẳm dễ dò, nào ai lấy thước mà đo lòng người”. Lòng mình còn chưa đo được huống chi là đo lòng người.

Con người cũng có lúc thay lòng đổi dạ. Không có gì là bềnh bỉ cả. Hạnh phúc được hôm nay không nghĩa là hạnh phúc cả cuộc đời.

Chỉ hy vọng rằng ngày nào còn tin tưởng nhau, còn chân thật với nhau, còn chia sẻ cho nhau, là hạnh phúc rồi.

Cho dù có chuyện gì xảy ra, đừng lừa dối nhau, đừng ăn thua nhau, và đừng làm kẻ thù nhau.

As someone whose English is a second language, I read many books on grammar rules. Most often, the expert advice was to avoid using ain’t, double negative, hopefully, and so on. Only Anne Curzan flips the script and gives us the license to use these words when appropriate. A fascinating read for someone who is fascinated with the English language.

Gần ba giờ sáng mà không sao ngủ được. Sống trong đời sống có những chuyện không thể nào ngờ được. Có những lúc những thứ ngỡ như mạnh mẽ nhưng lại mong manh. Những thứ ngỡ nhưng bền bỉ nhưng lại đứt đoạn. Kẻ thù của niềm tin là sự phản bội. Lòng người dễ thay đổi. Cuộc sống quá nhiều biến đổi. Hy vọng rằng mọi biến cố rồi cũng qua.

Đôi khi tôi tự nghi ngờ không biết viết lên đây để làm gì? Viết ra làm chi? Đã viết hơn 20 năm rồi có đáng không hay chỉ lãng phí phí thời gian? Tôi không còn rõ mục để viết nữa. Nhưng tôi vẫn chưa muốn dừng cuộc chơi.

Gần đây tinh thần đang xuống dốc nên không còn cảm hứng để viết. Có một vài điều trong cuộc sống khiến tôi âu lo và mất đi sự nhẫn nại. Chuyện gì đến sẽ đến hơi đâu mà lo lắng. Giờ có suy nghĩ nhiều cũng không làm được gì. Vì mọi chuyện ngoài sự điều khiển của mình.

Biết rằng như thế nhưng không thể ngồi yên để gió cuốn đi. Càng suy nghĩ càng khiến cho mình giảm đi sự tự tin. Thiếu tự tin không chỉ ngủ không yên mà còn không biết nên viết gì để trải lòng. Nhưng cũng phải thử viết xuống. Dù sao gì viết ra cũng có thể tự an ủi lòng.

Viết ra được nhiêu đây cũng cảm thấy nhẹ nhàng hơn. Có những niềm riêng không nên tiếc lộ trên nhật ký công cộng nhưng cũng đã quen dần rồi.

After almost two months, my gout had finally gone. I haven’t touched beef. I also cut down alcohol tremendously. I went back on Aleve last Monday and my big toe was no longer feeling the pain by Wednesday. Aleve worked for me, but I didn’t want to abuse it. I only took it when I absolutely needed to.

I went back to the skatepark yesterday with Xuân for the first time in two months. He had been busy swimming and I had to deal with my gout. Our skills were a bit rusty, but we were getting them back. He was a bit hesitant, but we both dropped from an 8-foot ramp.

With my gout and extremely hot weather in the last couple of weeks, I have been doing my own snowboard training in my basement. I have been working on my posi-posi stance and turns. Lexi Bullis’s carving tip is what I am trying to accomplish in the next season.

The Darkest White, by Eric Blenheim, is a biography of Craig Kelly who was a legend in the snowboarding world. In part one of the book, Blenheim takes us back to the birth of snowboarding and how Kelly got into the sport. It’s a fascinating read. Blenheim writes about the punk rock of snowboarding:

Unlike football, baseball, basketball, or, more to the point, skiing, snowboarding had no coaches, no schools, and no rules. There was zero attachment to establishment or the past, and it was something teens could do without some older authoritarian telling them how to do it better. Even the elders in the sport were thirty—tops—and they were figuring it out right alongside the youngsters. The only thing they knew for certain was that it was radical.

Part two, in which Blenheim gives details about Kelly’s mission to become an ACMG guide, is a bit of a drag. Part three is where the actions are. Now that I am into snowboarding, this book is an intriguing read for me.

After 14 days, Toyota Brand Engagement Center has received all my documents. Nethertheless, they still wanted a proof of ownership of the vehicle, which they did not stated in their original correspondence. Fine, I’ll give them the proof.

Dear R,

Sorry I missed your call, but I received your message. I am sending you the registration as proof that I am the owner of the 2018 Toyota Sienna SE. If you have further questions, please call me at XXX-XXX-2187.

Sincerely,
Donny Truong

Let’s see where we are going with this.

Dear Vương,

In retrospect, we haven’t spent much one-on-one time together. You’re still a mama boy. I am cool with that. I am sure you will come around when you are ready. You have always done things on your own terms.

When you first learned to ski, you wanted me to hold on to your harness. Then one day you decided to ski on your own. At first you didn’t want to ride your balance bike, but then one day you were rolling down the ramps at the skatepark on your own. Right now you don’t even want to take swimming lessons. You want to figure it out on your own first. That’s cool with me.

Being the youngest in the family, you get all the love; therefore, you don’t need to compete for attention. You just stay low keys. I like that about your personality. I am learning so much from you. Whenever you don’t want to do something or if someone tries to get under your skin, you give them the middle finger and say, “I don’t care.” How badass is that? I can’t even scold you for the middle finger. When you have that much confidence in yourself, no one can mess with you.

Another important lesson you had taught me that I could not forget even though it had been a few years already. You and I were racing down the sidewalk after a heavy rain. As we reached a big puddle of water, I carefully stopped and tried to figure out how to get over it. You just ran through it without thinking. Not only beating me, but you also splashed water all over me. I realized that sometimes in life you just go for it. I spent too much time thinking. As a result, I hadn’t gotten anywhere in life. You will go further than I ever have been.

I enjoy watching you play, hearing you talk, and seeing you grow each day. Time passes by so fast. Before we know it, you will become a young man and I will become an old man. Thank you for still letting me hug you and kiss you.

I love you so much, baby Vương.
Dad!