Author Spotlight: Han Kang

So I’ve never done this before, spotlighting a single author’s work. There’s not often when I come across an author, I immediately need to rush through their whole bibliography. Also, if something like that happens, it’s not often that the author doesn’t seem to be read or even known by many readers. That last sentence […]

An Addition

Three months ago, we had an addition to our family. A son was born, happy and healthy, here in Shanghai. It’s been an experience trying to figure out fatherhood, a new baby, and everything that entails while being abroad. Our families visited during the first month but since then, it’s just been us. The amazing […]

MYNIYL – FIZZ

It has been an impressive 5 years since my last “Music You Need in Your Life” post. I apologize. So let’s restart this series by introducing to you one of my new favorite bands: FIZZ. They are an independent “supergroup” specializing in chaotic, fun indie pop out of the UK. This group includes Orla Gartland, […]

A Restart with an Update

Hello all… I know it’s been a bit. Over 3 years since my last post, this website has been lying pretty dormant. The domain even stopped working for a bit and I didn’t even realize it! So it’s time to get it going again. I’ll try my damnedest to keep fresh content coming more regularly. […]

Favorite Albums of 2020

What a crazy year. Personally and globally, lots of things going on. Either way, we all still listened to music (even if we couldn’t see it live). So I guess it’s time for my annual list of my favorite albums of the year. As always, numbers 20-11 will just be title and a video. The […]

Favorite Albums of 2019

As we get closer to the end of this year, it’s time for my annual list of my favorite albums of the year. As always, numbers 20-11 will just be title and a video. The top 10 will have some notes from me included. All titles are also links to the album on Apple Music. […]

MYNIYL – J. S. Ondara

My ongoing, dramatically inconsistent series of “Music You Need in Your Life” continues today with a new singer/songwriter: J. S. Ondra. First, a little biography. Ondara grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, listening to Bob Dylan and other folk and rock artists from America. Around the age of 20, Ondara wins the green card lottery and […]

Favorite Albums of 2018

So, last year I somehow did not do my favorite album list. I apologize profusely. I’ll never know how to make up for it. Anyway, here’s my favorite albums of 2018. Number 20-11 will only be the name and a video, the top ten will have a few comments by me in addition to a […]

Angkor Wat

This past summer, Halie and I and our friend Morgan visited Siem Reap, Cambodia to see the wonders of Angkor Wat. I never wrote a blog about it because I struggled to put into words what I saw. Recently, while reading Anthony’s Bourdain second book A Cook’s Tour, I came across the following passage about his […]

Lovely Dichotomy of Luang Prabang

Last week Halie had Thursday and Friday off for Makhabucha Day. We decided to use the long weekend to travel to Luang Prabang, Laos. Not knowing much of anything about the city but only hearing great things from friends who’ve been, we we’re excited to see what the mountains and hills of northern Laos had […]