Last Saturday, the alarm from our 2011 Toyota Sienna went off at 7 pm, 12 am, and 3 am. I lost my sleep and decided to find a fix for it. I searched up YouTube and found this video, which seemed to have similar issue with a 2011 Toyota Sienna. The sensor right underneath the hood latch was clogged up; therefore, it triggered the alarm. The fix was to clean the latch.

Products:

• Engine Degreaser: $5
• Brake Cleaner: $5

I cleaned the latch on Sunday morning. The alarm hasn’t gone off since. I hope that did it.

I recently discovered that I have been wearing wrong shoe size all my life. Since I preferred to have some room in my toes, I had always pick size 8 (US), but my actual size is 6.5 (US). Now that I am used to skating shoes, my regular shoes feel weird. A few weeks ago, I bought a new pair of Adidas running shoes size 7 to replace my size-8 pair. Even then it still feels roomy. I took an audit of all my shoes and put together this page as a record for me to refer back.

Shoes

• 2025 Rossignol Primacy Power Focus Men’s Snowboard Boots: ($163). Bought it for Đán on September 9, 2025. It is 9 out of 10 for stiffness. If he can’t use it, I will.
• 2021 DC Men’s Laced Lace Snowboard Boots: ($164). Bought this pair on December 6, 2023. Good for snowboarding.
• Adidas Unisex-Adult Goletto VIII Firm Ground Soccer Shoe: 7 US ($40). I want to get back to playing soccer.
• Lange RX 120 Ski Boots: 25.5 Mondo ($355) I bought this pair brand new. I am loving it.
• 2025 Burton Smalls BOA: 6K ($150). Bought this pair on April 15, 2025 for Xuân.

Skates

• Black & Blue Them 909 Marius Gaile Complete Pro Roller Blades: Size Small = 7/8 US ($212 including shipping). Bought this pair on December 10, 2023. I enjoy it.
• Epic Skates 125mm Engage 3-Wheel Inline Speed Skates: 7 US ($93). Bought this pair on May 14, 2025.
• YF YouFu 110mm Three-Wheel Inline Skates: 7 US, 25cm ($89). I use this pair to skate on bike trails or boardwalk.
• Jackson Ultima Ice Skates Freestyle Fusion: 6.5 US, 39.5 EU ($100). This pair fits really well. I still wear this for ice skating.
• Bauer S29 Hockey Skates: 5.5D US ($65). This is a junior pair. It felt tight on me. I haven’t skated in it ever since I switched to my figure skates. I passed it on to Đạo.

Skis

• 2020 Rossignol Experience 88 TI Men’s Skis 159cm + Look SPX 12 Dual WTR Bindings ($255). Bought this new pair on December 24, 2023)
• 2025 Atomic Maverick 86 C Skis ​(161cm) + Marker M10 GripWalk Bindings ($415). Bought this pair on January 11, 2025 for Ðạo

Snowboards

• 2023 Salomon Super 8: 154cm ($265). Bought this brand new board. I can’t wait to ride it in winter 2023-2024.
• 2020 Rome Bindings United-G1 Black-S: ($110). Size small (Size S or M/L fits shoe size 7). It is comfortable to strap on.
• 2025 Public Research: 154cm ($350). Bought this board on May 5, 2025 for Đán.
• 2022-2023 Salomon Rhythm Snowboard bindings ($85). (Size S). Đán is using it.
• 2008 Burton White Collection: 143cm. Đán is using it.
• 2025 Jones Youth Prodigy: 140cm ($220). Bought this for Xuân on April 15, 2025.
• 2025 Nidecker Youth Prime Bindings: ($100) Bought it for Xuân.

Protective Gears

Protective gears are very important for safety. I love these sports, but I can’t afford to take the risk.

• Soared 3D Protection Hip Butt EVA Padded Short Pants (Large) ($11)
• Relaxyee: Protective Padded Shorts (X-Large) ($17)
• 187 Killer Pads Skateboarding Knee Pads, Elbow Pads, and Wrist Guards (Medium) ($37)
• Helmet: 22″ – 23″ (56 – 58cm)
• Wrist: 7″ – 8″
• Knee: 14″ – 16″
• Elbow: 10″ – 11″

Ex-Gears

• Adidas Running Shoes: 7 US. The actual size should be 6.5. My everyday shoes.
• 2019 ThirtyTwo Zephyr Snowboard Boots: 7 US ($80). Resold it on December 16, 2024
• Bodyprox Protective Padded Shorts (Large) ($37)
• 2023 Fischer RC Fire SLR Pro Skis (155cm) with RS 9 SLR Bindings: ($215) Bought this brand new. (I left and lost this pair at Stowe Mountain Resort on December 17, 2023 after just 4 runs total.)
• Flying Eagle Aggressive Skates: 39-40 EU ($93). This pair fits perfect. Despite the tiny coping, I love it to blade around skateparks. (Retired this pair on December 16, 2023)
• Rollerblade Zetrablade: 8 (US). This was my first pair to learn rollerblade. I had a lot of fun with it even though size 8 US was a bit too big for me.
• Head XENON Xi 5.0 (2008): 149cm. I loved this pair. Despite its used condition, it took me from green all the way up to double black diamond in winter 2021-2022.
• K2 Apache Sabre 2008 (119-72-103): 153cm. I also bought this pair used. It works perfectly. It was my go-to pair for winter 2022-2023
• Capita Indoor Survival (2006): 156cm. This was my learning board in winter 2022-2023.
• Lange Comp 80 Team Ski Boots: 7-7.5 (US). I used this pair to learn skiing in winter 2022-2023.
• Nordica Doberman WC EDIT 130 Race Ski Boots: 8 (US). Bought this used, but way too stiff for me and my son.
• Atomic Vantage 97 Ti Skis (2019): 172cm. This pair was way too long for me.
• K2 Escape Jr. 136cm Skis with Marker M450 Bindings. This was a junior pair. Bought it used and never used it.

I discovered David Sedaris about 20 years ago when I worked at Vassar College. He came to campus to read his essays. I didn’t understand why he was such a big deal; therefore, I picked up his books whenever I could. Even when I was reading his books on paper, I could only get a few jokes here and there. I didn’t get the full picture.

Now reading his latest book, Happy-Go-Lucky, I have a better grasp of his writing. The stories sound familiar. I then realized that I had read some of them in The New Yorker. His essays are filled with personal stories. He writes, “And there’s no point in me doing anything if I can’t write about it.” From his father to his siblings to his partners, he puts everything and everyone on the page. Even when someone is rude to him, he can write about it instead of confronting the person.

As a blogger myself, I appreciate seeing him putting himself out there and committing everything to paper even when he uses the bathroom or has sex. With humor, humility, and honesty, this collection of personal essays is a riveting read.

We’re half way through our first summer vacation this week in Wildwood. With one grandma, three couples of parents, and eight boys living under one roof, the place can be quite chaotic with activities.

Everyday we wake up around eight or nine, eat breakfast, then bike on the boardwalk—I rollerblade instead. We ride from one end of the boardwalk to the other and stop at the playground for an hour. We hit the arcade until noon before heading back to the rental house.

The adults prepare the food while the boys watch TV or play with each other. The kids have agreed to no digital devices during vacation. I keep my phone in my room so that I don’t pull it out in the living room. Some adults still use their phone in front of the kids. Somehow the rule doesn’t apply to adults. After lunch, some kids take naps, some kids don’t. They watch TV together and eat tons of snacks. I read and take a quick nap before heading to the skatepark. No kids want to join me unless I make Đạo and Đán come along.

Around four or five in the evening we hit the beach, which is the kids’ favorite activities. We played in the water and on the sand until seven in the evening. We head back home to take a bath. We have dinner together and relax until ten or eleven.

That’s pretty much how we spend our vacation days. As long as I have my books, my skates, and my liquors, I am enjoying my time with the big group as well as with myself.

With the exception of Vương, the boys are older now and they can do things for themselves. Especially with the older kids like Đạo and Đán, they can grab their own food or even make their own breakfast. They know how to fry eggs and make instant noodles in the morning. Of course, I can do everything for them, but I want them to be more independent. I don’t want to be the type of parents who do everything for their kids, especially with small tasks they can do themselves. Rising boys in particular, I don’t want them to get used to getting served. Of course, all mothers love their children and they don’t mind making the food and serving their kids. The kids just have to sit their asses on the chair and the food is ready. They don’t even have to do a thing. That’s when we set the wrong expectation. Of course what other parents do for their kids is none of my business, but I keep seeing the cycle repeating in Vietnamese families. Boys and men get served by mothers and wives.

Just a few years ago, I only read none-fiction books because I wanted to learn the truth and not made-up stories. When I started to read Jessamine Chan’s The School for Good Mothers, I find the the opening scene absurd and over the top. The book begins with Frida, a single Asian-American mother, who left her baby daughter alone at home for two hours. One of her neighbors reported the incident to Child Protective Services. Frida lost custody of her daughter and was sent to school for one year to learn to be a good mother. Yet as overdramatic as it sounds, Chan takes readers into a terrifying dystopian society for mothers. Chan’s storytelling is chillingly moving and her writing captures the art of fiction. I highly recommend it.

Pour out some liquor and I reminisce
’Cause through the drama I can always depend on my mama
And when it seems that I’m hopeless
You say the words that can get me back in focus.

When I was sick as a little kid
To keep me happy there’s no limit to the things you did
And all my childhood memories
Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
And even though I act crazy
I gotta thank the Lord that you made me.

There are no words that can express how I feel
You never kept a secret, always stayed real
And I appreciate how you raised me
And all the extra love that you gave me.

2pac Shakur (an excerpt from “Dear Mama”)

Today we went to a Bangkok 54 for the first time and I ordered its Mai Tai, which came with a flame. Looking at the glass of cocktail made me reminisce of my mother who would turn 85 today if she was still alive. Thinking of my mother immediately brought me to 2pac’s classic “Dear Mama.” The lyrics still burned in my brain. I made a YouTube Short. Happy birthday, mama!

My cousin’s Vietnamese name was Hoa Thúy Huỳnh, but Americans kept butchering her name as Hoa Thúi (rotten flower). When she was sworn in to become a U.S. citizen, she changed her name to Karen Huynh. Out of all my cousins, I have tremendous respect and admiration for Karen. She is thoughtful, generous, and confident. She also graduated from F&M with a bachelor’s degree in business. Most important of all, she always believed in me.

When I first arrived in America, she took me, our nephews, and niece to Friendly where I first tasted the Jim Dandy. When my mother called my sister and I stupid, which was typical in Vietnam, she would defended us, “Antie Four, please don’t call them stupid. They are very smart.” Just that remark alone had left a positive impact on me until this day. Karen was the cousin to go to when I needed someone to talk to. I trusted her.

When I was applying to college, she told me about La Salle because I had a passion for music. I imagined myself as a sound engineer. I had no clue what a communications major was, but it sounded really cool. When I visited La Salle, I fell in love with the sound control board in the studio. Even though communication didn’t work out for me, I was glad that I went to La Salle based on her recommendation.

We didn’t keep in touch much after I went away for college. When I came back, Karen had become a completely different person. I noticed the change in her when her only son was diagnosed with severe autism. She blamed the vaccines for her son’s autistic behavior and went down the path of conspiracy theories.

These days Karen and I are on the opposite end of medical, political views, but we have a mutual respect for each other. We agree to disagree. The last time we sat down and talked was a few months ago when Uncle Six passed away. We had a few exchanges on Covid vaccination. I just mostly asked her questions about her anti-vaccine position. I just wanted to know her sources. Even though we were not arguing and fighting, she made sure that we didn’t let our differences in opinion ruin our relationship. I assured her that I won’t let that happen. It is definitely not worth it. I love my cousin too much to let politics screw up our relationship. I learned my lesson and avoided discussing politics in public.

I am thrilled to see a design book written in Vietnamese, but the unfortunate title sounds like a porn film: Emojism. Is it just me? Since the book is published in Vietnamese, I wonder why they didn’t pick a Vietnamese title instead.

In his latest Netflix Special, SuperNature, Ricky Gervais pushes some hot buttons. In claiming inclusivity, he mocks obesity, Chinaman, and transgender. The trans community has already spoken up about the transphobic issue. The fat-shaming and racist jokes are equally offensive, but no one has spoken up. Gervais knows damn well he can get away with these three minority groups. The bloke is a damn good comedian, but he understands his limitations. In his next special, I dare him to take on Black Americans and see if he can get away with the N-word joke. If he stays true to his words as a comic, he shouldn’t have a problem with it. Until he could make fun of every group, he is not as inclusive as he has claimed. He only picks and chooses his targets.

Jennifer Haigh’s novel aims to provide different perspectives on abortion; therefore, the book includes many characters. I could not keep all the stories straight. Claudia is the only character that I could follow. Haigh’s writing is excellent though. I love her take on white trash:

She can still remember the first time she heard the term white trash. She was nine or ten years old, watching a stand-up comic on television, and she understood immediately that he was talking about people like her. Her family drank cola with dinner, store brand. They ate off paper plates as if each meal were a picnic. This was not a whimsical habit, but a practical one: her mother sometimes couldn’t pay the water bill, and for a few weeks each year, there’d be nothing to wash dishes in. The per plates came in cheap hundred-packs and were so flimsy they used two or three at a time, and as a result they produced vast amounts of garbage. Behind the trailer, under a carport of corrugated plastic, their trash barrels overflowed with it. In summer the smell was overpowering: soggy paper plates and food scraps rotting in the can. As a family they were both an environmental catastrophe and a sanitary one, as poor people often are.

When Claudia heard the words white trash, that is what she thought.

I wish the storytelling was simpler and straightforward.