Goofy comedies and a drug lord can show you what it means to be human
Humans are complex creatures.
We’re selfish, self absorbed and materialistic, compassionate, intelligent, and vulnerable. We’re raw and happy. We’re wrapped inside our own little world for most of our lives. It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be human — to be empathetic to other people’s suffering, to be sympathetic to other people’s pain, and what our purpose in life is. Society tells us who to be and what to achieve.
Rarely do they ever show us how to be human.
These shows are different. …
Make sure you’re prepared to handle the consequences
Women empowerment is all about knowing and promoting your own self-worth. It’s about exercising your right to make your own decisions and fight for what you believe in. Unfortunately, society hasn’t made it easy for women to have confidence in their own decision-making or in themselves. It seems like we fight and fight just to come to an impasse.
Women empowerment isn’t always collective. We can’t fight for women's equality without fighting for our own empowerment first. That starts with our everyday decisions. Women always have to make split-second decisions. …
The gentrification of Mahjong teaches a valuable lesson on the importance of professional copywriting
Click. Click. Click.
That’s the sound of Chinese tradition being played across generations, a game that grandkids can play with their grandparents. A game passed down from their ancestors and their ancestors before them. The swooshing of the tiles on the velvety green table is mesmerizing, as are the hands doing the swooshing.
Mahjong is a Chinese game. But more importantly, it’s a game filled with Chinese heritage and culture. Not many games have stood the test of time like Mahjong. …
Courtesy of Jeff Goins’ The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do
“In each experience, we find certain truths we might otherwise miss”
Every day is a new experience in which we can learn something about ourselves.
The smallest task can often teach us the biggest lessons about ourselves about who we are and who we want to be. Pay attention to these small but significant moments.
“Sometimes the route to our purpose is a chaotic experience, and how we respond matters more than what happens to us.”
Things happen to us all the time. Both good and bad. And sometimes to the point where our lives feel totally out of our…
A financial breakdown of the not-so-important day of my life
My wedding happened eons ago but I still look back on it and think “Was it worth it?” The answer is “Probably not”.
As I had foregone the engagement ring, my now-husband whisked me off on an unforgettable trip to propose. There were no fireworks, photographers. It was just the two of us. I can’t even remember if he got down on one knee that fateful night. All I remember is him being super nervous and I said yes, in my typical awkward fashion.
We had a long engagement. Maybe we were putting it off because we knew what was…
(That’s not drug-related)
The series finale of Breaking Bad aired on September 29, 2013. I’ve re-watched a few episodes but my husband has watched the series at least 3 times in the last 7 years.
Bryan Cranston’s character, Walter White, is possibly the worst role model you can have. He is egocentric, prideful, and well…a vindictive high school chemistry teacher turned drug lord. Despite being the ultimate antagonist, his character and the show still can teach you a few things about money, business, and living with purpose.
A career change can change your life
At the start of the series, Walter White celebrated his 50th birthday. He’s a high school…
Lessons from Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein on making art and selling capitalism
There’s an ickiness that comes over me whenever I have to sell myself. Promoting my writing, going to interviews, even the thought of presentations makes me want to run. I hate promoting my work on Twitter or Facebook. My heart always beats a bit faster as I hit that share button. Being immensely shy doesn’t help my anxiety either.
Marketing leaves us with mixed feelings. When you think of marketing, you think of a pushy car salesman or a commercial convincing you to spend money on something you don’t need but you also know you need to do it.
Long…
It goes against every writer’s instincts
You’re awake again. It’s 3am and you’re wondering why you can’t make it as a writer. You’re not talented enough, lucky enough, motivated enough. You question your entire existence and purpose. Maybe you don’t have what it takes. You accuse yourself of being a talentless hack and try to shut your brain up.
You wake up at 6am to go to your proper job, a place that actually pays you for all your hard work, hating every minute. You curse the job. If only you could quit, you’d be able to focus all your time on writing and making it…
A lesson in why sensitivity to the political climate matters — especially when you’re talking about food
The aroma of star anise, cinnamon, ginger, fish sauce, and beef (among others) waft through the air. You can smell the complexity of the ingredients mingling in the pot to create one of the world’s most delicious broths. The aroma makes its way through the vents and even fills the air outside the house.
My mom was making pho.
The combination of the hot broth, chewy noodles, beef balls, and thinly sliced rare beef makes it the perfect comfort food — one that I’ve enjoyed since I was a kid.
My family is Chinese, but my parents lived in Vietnam…
Writing my first clapback to his negative comment was liberating
I don’t like to cause conflict nor do I like being involved in conflict. I usually spend my days quietly on my computer either working or writing so my life is pretty drama free. The most dramatic part about my life is when I chase my son around trying to get his diaper on.
But every once in a while, drama seems to find me — that’s the problem with putting my work out on the Internet for the world to see. Not everyone will like what I have to say.
I’m not naive. I know that 99.99% of people…
Alice Vuong
Living life imperfectly and as creatively as possible. I write about creativity, motherhood and personal growth. Website: www.alicevuong.com
