“I won’t make any resolutions for the New Year!” my daughter declared, “because having a resolution could be defeating, discouraging and depressing!”  “How dramatic!” I thought, but I did have to admit that she had a point.  Come to think of it, I can’t recall a single resolution that I’ve successfully kept throughout a year. … More A New Year’s resolution

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to clean my office.  Six months later, files and books are still all over the place, sometimes lying on the floor.  I miss seeing the surfaces of my cabinet and book shelves and desk.  Even the top of the shredder is used as a place to hold documents.  … More Books, chicken and eggs

Neil deGrasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist, is worried.  The universe is expanding, and the rate of expansion is accelerating.  So much so that he worries that the future generations of scientists can’t learn from what we see now, as many galaxies will be beyond their horizon.  He also wonders if some previous chapters of the … More Dream to sleep

I can enjoy the same movies over and over like it were the first time to see them.  My kids roll their eyes at this.  Well, many unimaginable things happen as you become a certain age, and you tend to learn to accept those things graciously as gift.   But I remember the movie “The Blind … More Sleep out at Covenant House

Many Asians who are new to the U.S. say, “There are rows and rows of houses with beautiful lawns.  Amazing!  This country must be very rich.”  For those who are not accustomed to the American suburb scenery, we may look rich.  But I’m feeling poor.  And this is not just because of my bank account. … More To feel rich

The morning of Nov 5, I woke up at 6:30 am.  I walked down to the TV room and saw 5:30 am on the DVR display.  I felt lucky: daylight savings was over.  I made tea, read a book and fell asleep on the sofa until I heard the familiar sound of the coffee maker … More Pliés

“Who are you?” A man asked a little girl in front of me.  In his view, he was helping her find her identity.  She said, “I’m a unique person.  I’m a person who likes new ideas and different ways of doing things.”  But it wasn’t what the man expected.  So, he kept asking “who are … More Identity crisis

My family and I were having lunch in Japan with one of my high school friends.  She said, “Do you remember the school festival where we dressed up as a prehistoric man and woman?”  I searched for a picture deep among my high school memories.  And then realized that we didn’t have smart phones back … More Perfection and perspectives

If I was asked twenty-five years ago, “What is the most difficult thing you have needed to adjust to in the U.S.?” I would’ve answered, “The weather.”  The first place I lived in the U.S. was Arizona.  Arizona’s dry weather was powerful enough to turn pine needles into hazardous objects that could puncture and deflate … More Acclimatization to America

When I was in high school in Japan, I had a music teacher who once asked me, “What color do you like?” I thought about it for a few seconds, and responded, “White.” “You’re lying.”  What?  She continued, “That is not the color you like.  I like the kids who give me honest answers.”  She … More Can I be vague about this?