I refused to watch the movie when it splashed onto silver screens in 2018. My disdain was met with dismissal by friends and family, who thought I took too seriously a movie that was nothing more than frivolous fun. “Crazy Rich Asians” (CRA) might be fun, but its blockbuster status transcended mere entertainment. Asian American […]
Crazy, but not Rich: Some Thoughts on Crazy Rich Asians Read More »
No Work, No Food Hyakujo, the Chinese Zen master, used to labor with his pupils even at the age of eighty, trimming the gardens, cleaning the grounds, and pruning the trees. The pupils felt sorry to see the old teacher working so hard, but they knew he would not listen to their advice to stop,
On Work and Retirement Read More »
I turn 44 on Friday. I have enough years behind me to see the wheeling seasons, and those turns have forged an emerging perspective on aging. It’s no small matter to be able to look behind and locate events now two decades past. It’s been 20 years since I returned from Japan, 26 years since
When I am irked by the excesses of mainstream culture and the pernicious beliefs that corrupt shared life, my wife likes to say in jest: why don’t you get back on your mountain so you can look down on everyone else? So up to the summit I shall go. The view from this lofty peak
A Pandemic of Affluenza Read More »
There may come a time when, Broken by false promises, Worn thin by stoked passions, You step through the threshold and feel yourself larger than what those walls can hold Leaving behind the raucous voices, the brazen amens and fervent hallelujahs. Perhaps in the darkened corners, Someone you respected shattered your innocence. The hands held
Disclaimer: This entry contains graphic descriptions of a physical Injury. Reader discretion is advised On 27 April, 2021, I lost part of my right index finger inside my dog’s clenching jaws. It was a tempest and a comedy of errors both. Like all accidents, the mishap unfolded under circumstances most ordinary. Miles, an eight-year old
An Injury and a Trip to the Hospital Read More »
I went out today for groceries. Already I’ve noticed more cars on the road. Construction projects clog the streets. There is a small pile up just a few blocks from my apartment. It seems that the health authorities have implemented effective measures, and British Columbia has flattened the curve. There continues to be isolated outbreaks in care homes,
Spring Subsides, Summer Nears Read More »
It’s been more than six months since my last entry. The hiatus came as a result of some personal difficulties I experienced at the end of May and throughout the summer. Then, a busy Fall semester occupied much of my time and I am only slowly emerging from those labours. Time and hindsight offer a perspective not otherwise
Anti-Asian racism and hate-crime is on the rise. Across North America and Europe, there are reports of racially-motivated assault. These reports make for grievous reading, and those who scans this litany of egregious offences must brace themselves for waves of outrage and sorrow. It is presumptuous of me to diagnose this malignancy, but here I go: perhaps we habitually
On Anti-Asian Racism. . . Read More »
Today, my doctoral supervisor asked me: “what is the purpose of contemplative practice in the midst of this pandemic?” I answered: “To help us remain upright amidst great disruption.” Later, I reviewed this extemporaneous reply and decided that it could use some elaboration. In this blog post, I consider what contemplative practice offers in trying times, how awareness
Contemplation. . . Tonic or Placebo? Read More »
David Chang Counselling is gratefully located on the territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. David supports and celebrates diversity in race, gender, sexual orientation, language, culture, and neurological composition.
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