A few weeks from now, I’ll pack my life in boxes to live overseas for the first time. I’m leaving with my husband carrying the role that I’m still slowly coming to terms with: a trailing spouse. Although we have known of the move for five months now, the spiralling emotions take over as the… Continue reading Thoughts of an Imminent Trailing Spouse
It seemed to be an extremist choice that in my head makes vegans and vegetarians such radically miserable people—deprived of the glorious joys of foie gras and a medium-rare finely-marbled slab of steak. However, I’ve long harbored an internal conflict about the routine slaughter of animals for food. But I pushed it away. Like everyone… Continue reading I thought being a vegetarian was a joke
One of the most difficult Lenten sacrifices I ever had to make was the abstinence from gossip. Many years ago, leaving an all-girls’ school was a step, I hoped, to finally be rid of petty talk about others. Moving to a bigger university for me meant social groups that engaged in deeper and philosophical discussions—ideally… Continue reading Gossip and the Negativity Contagion
I put a Miles Davis record on, make my second cup of coffee, and look at a handwritten To Do list peeping at me from our home work desk. There is an absence of movement and noise other than the slight hum of the A/C and jazz music filling the entire apartment. A rare realization hit… Continue reading Workplace stress is real, and rising.
The rules for business writing have evolved over time. As I face a mixed-age audience for a training session, I experience a little conflict in making the rules relevant (and important) for millennials. Millennials cannot be exclusively blamed for our confusion. Language becomes the collateral damage as the new online media distort the norms. Admittedly, the limited… Continue reading An old-fashioned millennial’s guide to better emails
CrossFit did not appeal to me before I tried it. I was one of those people who never aspired to include weight training, gymnastics, and burpees in my fitness routine. My (slow) running, biking, and yoga were good enough for me, thank you very much. When I would sweat a little back then, I felt good… Continue reading How a lazy brat can do (and love) CrossFit
This one is controversial—and writing this is a bold step that I feel compelled to do. I understand what many people know. Yes, I have seen old white men holding hands with Asian girls--girls who seem like they should still be in school. I’ve read about the incredulous reality of Asian mail-order brides, and I… Continue reading That Asian Wife with a White Man
That one BEST day in our lives was more than what we hoped for. To be surrounded by love from family and friends who traveled far to celebrate with us brought us feelings beyond expectations. The joy is so deep that I hope you'll allow me to share the memories here, for us to keep and pass on… Continue reading The Best Day of Our Lives (Part 1)
To the girl who is unsmiling, assertive and knowledgeable, but called a bitch for it. To the girl who is judged for wearing too much makeup, and the girl that is told she needs to look more “like a girl.” To the girl who dares to work hard in “a man’s world” and has to… Continue reading Happy International Women’s Day
I heard unpleasant things about the hike to Taal Volcano, that iconic small volcano on a lake that takes many a breath away and defines Tagaytay's unique landscape. One of the things I remember said about it is that it is a total waste of time. Barren, dusty and extremely hot, the small active volcano, according to… Continue reading The Secret Trail to Taal’s Crater Lake
mrswilley.com 