Archives for February 2020

A Fortunate Man: the rise of a genius is thwarted by class origin and religion

17 February 2020

It might play out like a drama and a romance but, when you pay attention to the subtext, A Fortunate Man is a social commentary. It tells us that poor people with great ideas …

"Vagabond" is not a Heavyweight Spy Story But It Pushes All the Right Buttons

12 February 2020

I’m late in the Korean film and TV series game. They had been mainstays in local networks (dubbed, mostly) for at least a decade and a half but I stayed away far away …

Easy noodle soup with Tai O style clam sauce

14 November 2026 » Cooking» In the kitchen

Frozen dumplings and hotpot-style seafood balls, chicken broth straight out of a carton, instant noodles and fresh spinach. It would have been just another noodle soup were not for the addition of a lovely sauce I bought in Hong Kong.

Holiday paper crafts

13 November 2026 » Creating» In the den

The girls and I used to make holiday paper projects together once Christmas vacation started. Creative activities to while away the long days. It was fun. It was a great opportunity for bonding. It felt good to create something pretty; it felt even better to be able to create together.

A story about a fish, a volcano and a book

12 November 2026 » Elsewhere

This is a story about a fish that can be found in only one lake, and that lake is in the caldera of a volcano. But to tell that story, I first have to write about a book I found lying around in a house overlooking the lake and volcano.