Okay. I just need to write this post and be done with it. You might remember that last September, I vowed to devote myself to — well, to me. I promised to do this for 12 months. Now it’s time to share what I learned from a year of celibacy. Oh, how I do NOT want to be blogging about …
A movie date with myself can actually be fun
I just discovered that a movie date with myself can be fun. Getting out there reminded me that whether I’m single or in a relationship, I always, always have choices. It was a little aha! moment packed with impact. It broke the cycle. Until I had a movie date with myself, I skulked around at movie theater matinees. My goal …
Five languages of love can help relationship problems
Never heard of the five love languages? Me neither. At least, not until recently. But now that I know the concept, it’s been such a handy tool for figuring out how to get more love in my life. The five languages of love can help relationship problems, too. Defining the five languages When it comes to the best love language, …
Year of the Rooster: therapy talk for 2017
Year of the Rooster has me thinking about how happy I am to finally, truly appreciate my difficult parents. The two of them, plus my first shrink, now occupy the V.I.P seats in my head, reserved for my most precious ancestors. Yup, they’re both dead. A heart attack killed Dad when I was a teenager. Mom died seven years ago, …
How writing saved my life: Part 3 (Independence)
Note: This is Part 3 and the final installment in my series. Part 3, with three key words: writing-saved-life. During my 30s, I played The Asian Babe Who Had It All. There was a hot journalism career and cool husband. We owned a Manhattan condo with marble bathrooms and a fireplace. By day, I ran all over the city, writing …
How writing saved my life: Part 1
This is Part 1 of a 3-part series about me, writing and how writing saved my life. Everyone needs to write — everyone. By the time we get to Part 3, you’ll know why your words are so important, too. Okay. Here we go… My Chinese immigrant parents expected my birth to make them lucky. Instead, they felt cheated. For …