Tôi thường tránh đọc những bài viết về chiến tranh Việt Nam dù cách nhìn trong hoặc ngoài nước. Nhưng khi đã lỡ đọc tập truyện ngắn của Trần Kỳ Trung thì đọc cho hết. Mặt dù tác giả viết về thời kháng chiến chống Mỹ sau năm 1975, những câu chuyện của ông nói lên những tình mẫu tử, anh em, và trai gái. Khi thoát khỏi được cái chính trị trong những bài viết, tôi thích cách viết mộc mạc và cái nhìn đời và đạo đức làm người của tác giả.

Dave Chappelle is too good at this shit. He knows it and proved it. Holding down the crowd in Washington D.C., Chappelle started with a pregnant Chinese woman, moved to transgender, transitioned to dusty white people, and then finished with the motherfucker that we all hate together. Yes, he is talking about the motherfucking president. His storytelling is so convincing that it gives me hope. History repeats itself, and he points out: “This motherfucker might be the lie that saves us all.” This is an optimism for 2018. Needless to say, every second of this special is worth watching.

Chappelle addresses sexual allegations straight on. He can tell how Robert Weinstein is a rapist based on Weinstein’s ugliness. In contrast, he defends Louis C.K. He also drops some fascinating knowledge on Black history and explains the dirty tricks that a pimp used to get the extra mileage out of his “bottom bitch.” There’s a line about the Asian’s eyes, but I am not offended. His recklessness yet fearlessness makes his comic compelling and engaging.

This year had been mostly calm for us despite the country underwent tough challenges. I am still holding on to a decent job. I still am looking forward to coming to work everyday. Most of the people I worked with inspired me.

Highlight of this year had to be my trip back to Vietnam after 16 years. I had a chance to spend some quality time with my dad, brother, sisters, and extended family. They still have tremendous love for me. It was an emotional trip for me. I hope to return in a year or two as my dad is getting older. Although he is still in good health for his age, I must not take it for granted. In contrast, my mom is getting weaker and weaker. I hope that she will do better next year.

This year’s memorable moments had to be my wife’s family reunion. The passing of one of her uncles during the gathering was hard, but it demonstrated the bonding of a strong-tie family. He will be remembered every year at the reunion.

For our little family, the boys are growing way too fast. Đạo already hit third grade. His is doing well in school. Đán started kindergarten without knowing the alphabet. With a little support, however, he had mastered it. Now he started to learn to read. Xuân is not even two, yet he is catching up super fast to his brothers. He started to talk quite early and had developed his skills in communication. He knows exactly what he wants.

For my wife and I, we had our ups and downs, our gains (mostly weights for me) and losses, and our blessings and misfortunes. The good thing is that we had the formers more than the latters.

2017 began with a terrible few months for our country. I still can’t get over the fact that he is the president. The later quarter of the year, things seemed to get a bit better. I am hopeful for 2018.

2017 sets a new record for the number of books I have read in a year. Based on my reading history, I read almost twice as much as I did last year, which was 50, and 20 more than the numbers in 2014, which was 70.

In retrospect, I can see how I pulled it off. I have started a reading ritual. Each morning I wake up at 5 am and read until 7:30 am—before the kids get up. Each night, I read from 9:30 or 10 pm, depending on when the kids are fastened asleep, until midnight or one in the morning. During the day, I read whenever I have a few minutes here and there like half an hour at lunchtime or while one of my kids napping in the car on a Saturday afternoon. I always carry a book with me everywhere I go just in case I have to wait in a long line for coffee.

Over the summer, I took a trip back to Vietnam to see my dad. During the 20 plus hours of flights and connections, I read rather than slept. Even in Vietnam, I did not take any tour. I spent most of my time with my dad, my family, and my books.

Before went back to the States, I gave my iPhone 5s to one of my nieces. Back home I didn’t have a cell phone for three months. During that time, I read even more. I did not check social media as often as before. I did not follow the news vigorously like I had with a smartphone. If it were not for work, I would not have bought a new phone.

With Trump dominating the media since he has become president, I needed to find an escape route. Books came to rescue. They kept me sane and away from politics and Trump’s idiotic tweets and stupidities.

As for the type of books, I still read mostly nonfiction. In addition to English, I have read quite a bit of Vietnamese books this year. The trip back to Vietnam rejuvenated I love for Vietnamese. Having used much Vietnamese since fifth grade, I have a lot of relearning and catching up to do, but it feels great to read and write my native language again. Because accessing Vietnamese books are limited in Fairfax public libraries, I get my hands on whatever the latest books available. They have more fiction than nonfiction. Although the collection is small, I am very grateful that Fairfax public libraries have a section for Vietnamese books.

For my reading habit, I experimented with switching between English nonfiction and Vietnamese fiction. I find the alternating to be quite rewarding. I like the balance and the ability to read both of the languages I love so dearly. I will continue with this approach.

For 2018, I won’t try to break my record. Instead I want to focus on reading thicker books (between 400 to 500 pages). Reading has become my obsession and I will read as long and as much as I can. It is one of my joys in life.

In her brave, heartbreaking, and riveting memoir, Merkin reveals candid details of her life-long struggle with depression. She grew up in an unnurturing and abusive environment. She fantasized of killing herself at a young age. Merkin’s relationship with her tough German-Jewish mother was cold, critical, controlling, and complex. She despised her mom, but had a hard time without her. In addition to depression, this is an eye-opening book on parenting. It’s a dark yet beautiful read.

Album chủ đề Hà Nội thứ hai Hồng Nhung thực hiện sau 20 năm. Tuy phố nay đã thay đổi (“Hà Nội giờ đây rộng lớn hơn nhiều lần / nhà máy cao nhiều tầng”) nhưng tâm hồn Hồng Nhung vẫn ôm ấp những ký ức của phố cổ. Hát lên những vẻ đẹp và sự lãng mạn của Hà Nội thì ai có thể vượt qua được Hồng Nhung. Giọng Hồng Nhung càng nồng nàn, càng dịu dàng, và càng nhẹ nhàng theo ngày tháng. Cô phát âm tiếng Anh cũng rất tốt. Tuy nhiên, lời Anh “My Dream” còn khá trẻ con. (Chắc là cô viết riêng cho hai đứa con mình.) Với phần hoà âm phối khí được đầu tư kỹ càng chất lượng, Hồng Nhung đem lại cho chúng ta một cảm xúc mới đến Hà Nội mà vẫn không mất đi những nét đẹp cũ của phố.

Album cho bộ phim Cô Ba Sài Gòn được thu âm với ban nhạc sống nên nghe hơi bị phê. Những bài hát về Sài Gòn như “Đêm đô thị”, “Sài Gòn,” và “60 năm cuộc đời” đem chúng ta về với những âm thanh trước 1975 qua những giai điệu rock và jazz. Giọng hát khoẻ mạnh và thanh của Phương Vy trình bài những nhạc phẩm này thì khỏi chê đâu được. Bài chủ đề cũng khá vui nhộn qua tiếng hát Đông Nhi. Nhưng náo nhiệt nhất là “Tân thời” do Jun Phạm trình bài. Tôi vẫn mê mẩn những tiếng trống lốc cốc và vũ điệu twist. Hy vọng sẽ được cơ hội xem phim này.

Quyển tiểu thuyết ngắn của Đỗ Bích Thúy bắc đầu với câu chuyện “Cướp vợ”, nghĩa là một anh chàng con nhà giàu (muốn gì được nấy) bắt cóc một cô gái về hãm hiếp và bắt buộc làm vợ. Mỗi ngày lôi vợ lên giường làm như thú vật tuy người đàn bà không có một cảm giác gì cả. Tác giả viết về bối cảnh ấy như sau:

Một ngôi nhà to, đầy gia súc, một thằng chồng lúc nào cũng đội cái mũ nồi màu đỏ, đi một chiếc xe máy đỏ, đêm nào cũng thè lưỡi quệt khắp người, cấu véo khắp người vợ. Cả cuộc đời từ khi về làm vợ, đêm nào cũng chịu để cho thằng chồng làm như thế. Ôi, sống làm sao được chứ. Sống làm sao được cho đến lúc già, làm mẹ rồi làm bà nội, bà ngoại? Chồng nào cũng ăn vợ như thế hay sao?

Đây là một câu chuyện nói lên những cay đắng và đau đớn trong bạo lực gia đình. Đọc tuy hay nhưng thảm thương lắm.

Graphic designer Chip Kidd is a keen observer. In Judge This, Kidd shares things that piqued his interest and rates them from clarity to mysterious. He points out, “Clarity gets to the point” and “Mysterious gives us hope.” Kidd incorporates both end of the scales in his own projects. The way he applies judgement to his design is simply brilliant. Judge This is a quick, inspiring, and informing read, particularly for designers.