I was reading Pete the Cat’s Groovy Guide to Life, by Kimberly and James Dean, with my five-year-old son, who chose the book from the library, and falling in love with the quotes the author had compiled. I decided to translate the quotes into Vietnamese and created a sample page with both languages. To make it groovy, I chose vibrant colors for each quote and typeset in Calistoga, designed by Yvonne Schüttler and Eben Sorkin, combined with Neue DIN, by Hendrik Weber, Andreas Frohloff, and Olli Meier. Check out Hướng dẫn đi đến nếp sống hấp dẫn.

As stated in my letter to Toyota regarding to the melting of electric wires in my 2018 Toyota Sienna LE’s passenger door. Here’s the breakdown of the repair:

• Wire Front Door Right-hand – Toyota (82151-08250) $300 (even though its website discounted for $202.68)
• Side Airbag Sensor (82151-08250) $90 (the website lists for $76.74)
• Labor: $720 for 4 hours (that’s $180 per hour)

With tax and environment fee, the total was $1245.54. Ouch! Ourisman Toyota.

This is my first time listening to Guitarist Julian Lage and the first track, “Hymal,” on this album pulls me in immediately. What a hypnotic, soulful bass-guitar duo. “Northern Shuffle” continues with blues-rock sensational riffs. “Serenade” is just so beautiful. I enjoyed the album immensely from start to finish.

After I sent Toyota a letter yesterday, a Brand Engagement Advocate, responded:

Dear Donny Truong,

Thank you for contacting us about your 2018 Toyota Sienna. We are sorry to learn the electrical wires on the inside of the passenger door are melting and causing the air bag sensor light to turn on and we appreciate you contacting us for assistance. Thank you for the attachments.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. understands your concerns with your Toyota Sienna. We apologize; as this issue is no longer covered under the vehicle’s warranty due to time and mileage limits, and as we do not show any recalls or other support programs applicable to the vehicle, Toyota respectfully declines your request for financial assistance towards the cost of these repairs.

In the interest of customer satisfaction and retention, based on your product loyalty, we would like to extend an offer of $750.00 towards future service(s), using genuine Toyota parts at an authorized Toyota dealership.

Once you have incurred the full amount of $750.00, or, if it is more convenient, you may send in documents for smaller amounts as they occur, and we will reimburse them on an ongoing basis until the total offer amount has been reached. Please forward the complete paid dealership invoice(s) and your receipt(s) to:

Toyota Brand Engagement Center
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
P.O. Box 259001
Plano, TX 75025-9001

You may also scan and attach your documents as case attachments to this comment thread. Upon receipt of your documentation, we will send you a check.

We are sincere in our efforts of keeping you a satisfied guest and appreciate the opportunity to further review. Please know, we have documented your experience here at Toyota National Headquarters under your reference number. If you have any other questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,
N

Toyota Brand Engagement Center

That was not the answer I was hoping for. They should have covered the electoral malfunction on their part regardless of year and mileage. That’s not a wear and tear issue. It’s a safety issue.

With regular rain and warm weather, the skiing-snowboarding season is coming to an end—for the resorts closest to me. We are still hoping for a week of spring skiing and snowboarding at the end of March in Vermont, but the chance is also slim.

I spent 36 days on the terrains; therefore, my Epic pass was well worth the price. I still have so much to learn, but I am satisfied with my progression. I could snowboard down the double black diamond slopes with confidence and comfort. I also got my groove back on my skis. My skiing and snowboarding levels are at the same level, which is fun to learn new skills on both at the same time. As I am making the transition to carving on both, the season is wrapping up. I need to pick them back up again next year.

Without a doubt, I am in love with skiing and snowboarding. Whenever I put my mind into something, I have to go all in. Skiing was love at first sight for me. The movement I let my rental skis take me down the bunny slope, I never looked back. Snowboarding was the complete opposite. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” I hated snowboarding when I first tried it. I gave up, but came back to it just to prove to myself I could do anything when I put my mind to it. I conquered snowboarding and fell in love with it.

My wife informed me that I am addicted and she was the one that got me hooked. No addict would admit he was addicted, but I can attest that skiing and snowboarding are therapeutic for me—not an addiction. They keep my body healthy and my mind strong. I used to hate the freezing cold in the winter. Now I pray Mother Nature for all the snow and the cold she could give us, but she hasn’t answered my prayers. This winter, once again, I didn’t catch a cold. Not only I didn’t get sick, but I also felt great.

The physical benefits were nothing compared to the mental benefits. Skiing and snowboarding helped me get through the darkest days in the last couple of months. Hitting the trails was like attending counseling sessions for me. The adrenaline rush of going down the terrains and the peacefulness of the mountains when no one was around left all of my worries behind. It was pure escapism.

I don’t have a strong mind. I get stressed out easily. I lack self-confidence. I also get lots of anxiety. My coping mechanism has been writing, skiing, snowboarding, and skating. I don’t let myself fall into depression. I don’t let anxieties take over me. I don’t wrap myself in a blanket and feel sorry for myself. My life is too damn short and too fucking valuable to be miserable. I never know when I will go.

My arms are too short to box with life. I have to let go of anything that is out of my reach. I learn to differentiate what I can and cannot control. What I have come to realize is that the only control I have is my own mind; therefore, I need to pay attention to it. I need to nurture it and guide it to the right path. Between maneuvering around the mogul fields and navigating my ways down the steep slopes, skiing and snowboarding help keep my mind strong and prepare me to deal with problems in life. I will ski and snowboard for as long as I can.

Nguyễn Tuấn Quỳnh tuổi trẻ, tài cao, thành công như diều gặp gió. Qua Sống ở thể chủ động, tác giả chia sẻ những trải nghiệm và kinh nghiệm của mình. Muốn thành công phải siêng năng, kiên trì, và khát vọng. Theo tác giả là thành công phải giàu có còn thất bại là lười tự học và sống an phận. Khổ thay tôi bị vướng vào hai thứ đó nên muốn thành công cũng không được. Sách này không dành cho hạng người như tôi.

Dear Toyota,

On March 3, 2024, our family (4 kids and 3 adults) were driving home in our 2018 Toyota Sienna LE when the airbag warning light came on. Yesterday (March 6, 2024), I took the minivan to Ourisman Toyota Fairfax to get a diagnose. They found out that the electrical wires inside the passenger door were melting, which caused the airbag sensor light to turn on.

The auto mechanic showed me the melting wires and I took a photo of them. He also told me that he had never seen this issue before. I was shock as well because we never had any work done on that door. I bought the car brand new right out of Priority Toyota Springfield in August 2018.

Clearly this is a manufacturing malfunction—thank goodness our family was safe without proper airbag system—but the dealership estimated $1,688.60 to fix the issue. I declined the repair because the cost was too expensive and the cause was from the original manufacturer. They wouldn’t let me take my car back and negotiated the price down to about $1,300, which was still too much for me. I had no choice.

Since this is a safety issue that was from the original manufacturer, would you cover the cost to fix it? My family owns two Toyota Siennas and have always trusted the Toyota brand for its quality and safety. Please take this serious issue into consideration.

Thank you,
Donny Truong

Update: On March 8, 2034, a Toyota Brand Engagement Advocate responded.

Tựa sách, Từ sự mất ngủ của ruồi, nghe cũng lạ tai. Thì ra sách gồm có những bài viết được dịch và biên soạn bởi Mạch Nha về khoa học, văn hoá, và đời sống. Từ ngủ trưa đến đọc sách với con đến Alzheimer, ai muốn hiểu thêm về những khoa học thí nghiệm thì đọc cho vui.

Qua 108 lời nhắn, Blogger Là Trang chia sẻ những tư vấn trích từ trải nghiệm để giúp bạn trẻ vượt qua mọi khó khăn trong cuộc sống. Mỗi bài nhắn của cô gồm những lời khuyên nhẹ nhàng và gần gũi từ nhiều khía cạnh khác nhau. Chẳng hạn như “Lời nhắn số 103”, cô gửi gắm:

Này, cậu có bao giờ nghĩ đến việc “yêu thầm” chính mình trước khi biết yêu ai, thương ai không?

Đừng kỳ vọng quá nhiều ở người khác, đừng mơ mộng viển vông. Hãy học cách yêu bản thân qua những điều nhỏ bé.

Hãy tặng cho bản thân nhành hoa, món quà nhỏ.

Hãy tự nuôi dưỡng tâm hồn để vững vàng trước bao sóng gió cuộc đời.

Tôi sẽ đọc những lời nhắn này cho mấy đứa con (nhất là đứa 15 và 12 tuổi) rồi thử dịch qua tiếng Anh nếu bọn nó không hiểu. Đây là món quà tin thần có giá trị cho tuổi trẻ. Cám ơn Trang.

My Dearest Children,

As someone who witnesses what your mother does for you everyday, I can’t even tell you the unconditional love she has for each of you.

Since the day you were conceived, she carried you in her womb for 9 months. Since the day you were born, she has not even for one second stopped loving you. She stayed up when you cried in the middle of the night. She fed you with her own milk and soothed you back to sleep.

As you are growing up, she is still doing everything in her power for you. She treasures your lives and I can guarantee you that she would put your lives over her own. I am telling you this because your lives are invaluable to her.

She brought you into this world. She does everything she can to give you fulfilling lives. She doesn’t ask anything from you. In return, I am not asking you to fulfill your filial piety. All that I am asking from you is to treasure your lives. Just that alone is enough to show your love for your mother.

Believe me, your lives are way better than mine. When I was growing up, it was just me and my mother. We were poor, but I knew my mother loved me unconditionally. When I was becoming a teenager, I had moments when I felt my life was boring, but never worthless. I didn’t have many opportunities, but I knew the only way to move up was focusing on my education.

If you think your lives suck, you have not experienced the world out there. If you walk out of our door, you will see it for yourself. Don’t take what we have built as a family for granted. I may sound like a broken record; therefore, I am writing this letter to you so you will be able to refer back to it later on.

Just remember this. I might not be a good father to you, but your mother’s love for you is unquestionable, unmatchable, and unbreakable. All a mother is asking for is to see a smile on her children’s faces. Her happiness is to see you happy. I hope you know or will understand what I am telling you.

Love,
Dad