Our upbringing, at least mine, were geared toward survival; on foods, clothing and shelter; Maslow the whole scale through (with security, self-esteem, love and self-actualize after that). Growing up in war times, we did not need Maslow to tell us what’s next. But in our household, we were taught to look out not just for…

By the time I arrived, my refugee family had settled in and segregated from the look of family album: father and son (left page) mother and daughter (right page). Drifted South-ward, to Saigon. Then an aggressive swimmer (as oppose to lazy sperm/swimmer) met an egg that dropped. Hello it’s Me. Then later, another aggressive swimmer,…

Not just doctors who took that Hippocratic oath (to heal the sick and dying). We’re supposed to be good neighbor, to at least, close their eyes if the dead, on their own, couldn’t. It’s human. It’s bare minimum. But then, we keep re-inventing ourselves, then re-inventing some more until one day, even we are strangers…

Saw Mr. Bernstein towards the end on ABC, when I learned about his latest come-of-age memoir: Chasing History. In it he weaved through events, both personal and national, at the Star newsroom at age of 16, typing at 90 WPM ( WPM is now a bygone acronym) while his Dad himself used to work at…

Bridges couldn’t wait until Biden visits for visual backdrops. It just gives. Like anything and everything else. It’s time. To have that pig-heart transplant, that blood infusion or the ventilator unplugged. Fullness of time. Expiration date. Friday, end of work week, end of that bridge; from point A to point B, a straight line is…

Throughout this pandemic, we rely on help: from the government, from non-profit entities and from each other. In short, we have been pastoral to one another. While President showed off the bible, and pastors urged “patriots” to take up arms, we take up alms. Heroes for one day: a kind word here, a chocolate there.…

The Earth gave up her dead that tide, Into our camp he came, And said his say, and went his way, And left our hearts aflame… Ballad by Kipling When the fire burns, within and without just to consume one’s self, monk or me. Rage. A contentious man, trying to bend the arc of history.…

ASU announces its plan for massive enrollment in the tens of millions. Quite a shocking USA Today headline! It certainly caught my attention in the age of splintered and tribalized media. Plus, at ASU, we’ll find the Cronkite School of Journalism. Good luck trying to export that to “Third-World” countries” (ole-school football, ole-school journalism and…