Location is one of the key signifiers of how you define success. Only a few local Hong Kong musicians reach international fame because Hong Kong simply does not support artists. Students are pushed through school and then take any menial job to support their family because housing is so ridiculously expensive. In general, a student is most likely to launch a great music career because they have a fallback in case it…read more
Thank you so much for your love and care. I didn’t know if I was ready to tell everyone yet, but if anything, saying it on my blog to so many people has helped me accept it. And I never want to say something like this as an announcement. We are not announcement type of people; have never been and never will be. Okay, so I am…read more
I no longer believe in New Year’s resolutions, nor diets, nor intensives bootcamps. Anyways, only about 8% of resolutions are successful and the odds have never worked for me. It’s a crutch, really, for laziness. When travelling in Asia, I ate everything in sight and staved off my nightly limb-stretching routine — due to cramped space — and told myself I’d work extra hard in the…read more
I’m wishing for springtime like crazy. When I was in the hospital, time crawled, but I blinked and the clock jumped to 11pm. Sometimes I wish it were socially acceptable to hibernate as humans. Nonetheless, I can’t wait to be able to run outside without mummy-wrapping myself. I can’t wait for sunshine. I can’t wait for all the things that are great about spring, including flowers, trees, and screaming children. Let’s…read more
I rarely admit it but I miss a lot of people who are inappropriate to miss. Math, for example, across the country and likely drunk on wine and cheese, coding a personal calendar app running on his smartass mouth. Or British David, who’d swing his laundry bag like a tennis racquet while I perched on the stone ledge, and we’d chat into the sweltering night in Hong Kong.…read more
I still can’t believe he is gone. I would trade my piano for him to come back. I would also push it out the window if it meant an angel, would catch it. Being sad sucks, but also, I suck at it. But hey, I’ve become a self-pitying lump in the corner. I’m convinced that I will grow old and die alone with no cats to…read more
Although not everyone would play Bieber over Beethoven, pop music is catchy. I’ve found some gems. Air Supply, for example, is on repeat these days because my dad liked their music. Pop music is a great way to learn about chord structure–and improvisation. Once you learn the few chords, you’ll be able to play most pop songs repeating on the radio. If you teach music and don’t…read more
“We are no longer looking for a cure.” I’ve been quiet for a long time about one of the strongest people I know — my dad. In Hong Kong, my sister texts me that my dad is in the hospital. I didn’t get the details but instead counted down to the days when I’d see him next. The first evening of my return, I visit…read more
Maybe it’s the stream of phone-zombies running into you on the street or the December t-shirt weather, but festivities in Asia have left a strange taste in my mouth. Most of us have been hearing the same holiday music on repeat at every shopping mall. I’ve been home for five days I’m bundled in scarf and boots by default. To celebrate the spirit, my sister and I have collected these relaxing…read more
Living out of two carryon bags for the past while, I’ve become brutally efficient at making choices. I don’t even miss the walk-in feature of my closet back home. We’re bombarded by choice, and for better or worse, we spend time and energy debating unnecessary options. There is too much music to play, too many clothes to wear. What if, in the morning, you use…read more