#33 Amazing Art: Ten Lessons from Ten Illustrations by Yaoyao (1-5)

Today I discovered an artist Yaoyao Ma Van As. Amazing is such a overly, inappropriately used word. People say this is amazing, that is amazing. I often question, "Do you really mean it? Do you understand what amazing means?" When I found her work, I have to say, they are AMAZING. Her work makes me...

#31 How to Know What You Stand For: As a Writer, a Worker, or a Human Being who Wants to Leave a Legacy

I have a full-time job and I love my job. On the side, I am also a blogger. I started posting since 2007. "What do you write about?" is the single most common questions I got every time I say I blog. Unfortunately this simple question doesn't come with simple answer. Before we get into...

#00 New Year’s Resolution: 52 Weeks of Writing

I have been a blogger for over a decade now. But given that I don’t have my own business that my blog directly supports, and that I have a full time job that I am really passionate about. I have never been consistent about blogging. Recently, I talked to a senior leader at my employer....

30-Question Challenge

In the past few months, I have dated a number of people. Searching for a life partner is not an all-pleasant journey, but one of the unexpected things I learned from this process is this: when people like me, it is often because they like the questions I ask. In the coming 30 days, I...

Episode 59 Goal Setting and Dating App

Online dating is becoming more common. People’s perceptions toward online dating also have evolved. It has now become a more generally acceptable way of meeting people. From a pure scientific point of view, it can be more efficient approach in meeting the right person. The Knot surveyed more than 14,000 engaged or recently married individuals...

Episode 57 What Happened After My Next Ten Year Plan was Made

April 27, 2018. It was the one year reunion after we graduated. I was hesitating whether I should fly back to Chicago. The reason of the hesitation: I know there will be A LOT OF people, a lot of ‘Oh hi how have you been?’, a lot of trying hard to stuff our lives in...

Episode 56 How Many Lives Have You Lived?

On my way to work on April 6th, I listened to a podcast. It is an interview with Vanessa Van Edwards, the author of Captivate. It described her way to have dazzling conversations in a networking setting: "It is not about how to impress other people, but how to give other people opportunities to impress...

Episode 52 What I Learned from Asking the Same Question Again and Again

On New Year’s Eve, me and my friend Jason set out for a mini adventure. We went on the street and asked strangers one question, “If you could change one thing in 2018, what would you change?” We asked nine people, including a couple from San Francisco, a backpacker from Spain, a homeless artist in...

Episode 47 Why Life Is Worth Living?

You may question: wow, are you seriously trying to answer this ultimate life question? Well, nope. Today I want to share a moment when I felt "This is why life is worth living". If you know me, you know I love asking questions. Not everybody loves to answer. I get it. I have a friend,...