Tag Archives: family

Pandemic fog and a call to action

Posted on September 3, 2020 by The soup lady

I have been struggling lately on several fronts.  Sometime mid-summer, a malaise seems to have settled over my mind, making it difficult to see the forest for the trees.  Covid-19, racial reckoning, protests, Lysol wipes, face masks, Amazon food orders, … Continue reading →

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Remembering my father

Posted on July 20, 2019 by The soup lady

  My father died one year ago and I’ve struggled to write about it.  I hear that grief is different for each person; different for each loss. But when the grief is your own and it holds no shape, how … Continue reading →

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Echoes

Posted on February 7, 2019 by The soup lady

Recently, I noticed something peculiar: I heard my voice echoed in the writing of other women. I heard my personal journey, something that I had learned to hold as sacred and singular, in the stories of other Vietnamese American women … Continue reading →

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Vietnam 2018

Posted on May 12, 2018 by The soup lady

No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man. – Heraclitus Vietnam used to feel so far away from my life in the US. Not only is it … Continue reading →

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A story to tell

Posted on November 30, 2015 by The soup lady

I wrote this piece in 2013 but haven’t found the right time to share it until now. For months, the refugee crisis in Europe has been worsening; the EU’s response has been divided and inadequate in the face of massive … Continue reading →

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Losing the elephant

Posted on July 13, 2015 by The soup lady

It took me nearly six months to plan our trip to Vietnam.  Airfare, lodging, transportation, tours, visas, itinerary–it all took a while to come together.  Add to that all the complications of traveling with a large group that included 4 … Continue reading →

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Family: the food, the bad, and the ugly

Posted on March 4, 2013 by The soup lady

We recently visited my family in LA, and as usual, the visit churned up a host of conflicting emotions. I have never had the best relationship with my mother, whose perspective and understanding of life is so very different from … Continue reading →

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Europe part 1: Portugal

Posted on September 15, 2012 by The soup lady

Ah, Europe.  Like an old friend, She welcomed me back this summer with magnificent scenery, delicious food and friendly locals.  Now, Mr. No Nom de Blog will be quick to call me on my selective amnesia and remind me of … Continue reading →

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Giving and Receiving

Posted on March 25, 2012 by The soup lady

Note: This post is not about food. I recently read a post by my friend Jason, a blogger at Daddyinastrangeland and a good friend from college, about his encounter with a man in need of assistance.  The man was homeless … Continue reading →

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Karma can be a b-tch

Posted on March 4, 2012 by The soup lady

My mom still periodically brings up her memories of me as a picky eater–the skinny, tiny Vietnamese girl who wouldn’t eat much meat or poultry. She remembers being overwhelmed with concern for my health–though I must point out that it … Continue reading →

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