LUMOHACKS was everything I wanted it to be, and more. 674 people applied and we chose 350 people to create something that improves a cancer patient’s life, in 24 hours. 350 people. 12 3D printers. 5 workshops. World-class speakers from medicine & tech. That was last week, and now I am sick. I am sniffing and coughing and I sound like a frog but I’m waiting…read more
For the last two weeks of August, I tried to relax. Vancouver’s breezy summer is wonderful, and every island hotel in the vicinity is booked. So I settled for a vacation in the city. It rains nonstop in the fall, but in the summer, it’s perfect. At first I was worried I’d end up watching Netflix if I didn’t plan activities but then I realized that summer is laid back, and events will…read more
I squatted the bar today. A guy came up and presented a stool to me, and told me to pretend to sit on it when I squat. Last week when I started feeling my muscles again, I was so grateful. I can’t tell if my form is right and sometimes it feels like I might as well be casting spells with a rainstick. I watch lifting videos. My friends will read this and tell…read more
Learning an instrument isn’t easy, but it’s refreshing. I don’t recall the exact moment when staying up to decode Chopsticks on the piano turned into an obsession with playing faster, stronger, louder. There is something magical about not knowing where you’ll end up. This question comes from a reader who only learned to play with his right hand: I have just started to learn how to play the piano by…read more
We love the classics because they’re timeless. Summer is a great time for fun and relaxation. Why not revisit the classics? Maybe it’s time that I picked up Hanon again! And redo my nails. If you’ve ever tried to play Liszt with long nails, it’s like you’ve got rulers taped to the ends of your fingers. In Malaysia, Em and I got our nails done at a…read more
It’s summer and I have wanderlust again. I’m sick of real life! I wanted to see the National-Geographic authenticity of Asia, and that was what I got. Our waiter at the Ritz started speaking German to my friend until he realized that I’d rather he refill our bowl of nuts. But I didn’t take many photos of the classy lounges, because they were too Westernized. Westernized, my ass!…read more
I want to give a big hug to all the brave dads out there. The love and care and effort you put in will be appreciated, and will be rewarding one day, even if you don’t see it right now. Your kid hasn’t been alive as long as you have, and there might come a time when you guys don’t see things the same way…read more
“Let’s go to the beach today!” I say. My sister and I find a soccer ball at the beach and it was the most interesting thing since ice cream. It was tiny and pink and I was kicking it around barefoot. As it gets dark, we lay on a log and spotted the brightest stars and wondered who or what was up there. When you look back, the small…read more
Where I’m ’bout to go, the lights all glow And there’s no rejection, all I see is hope My promised land — Promised Land, by OMI Everyone is preparing for the conventional sense of better. Starting new companies, writing the MCAT, LSAT, enrolling kids in genius-baby programs at a year old, working that new startup from the basement. I’ve renamed it the great Canadian Dream. For…read more
“I’ll help you with the event,” my good friend says. Then he never shows up for a meeting. You probably know who my good friends are anyways. If I didn’t care about this, I’d just say who it is. But I do. Care, that is. I’m writing this after three hours of sleep. In case you want to run an event or startup, here are…read more