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Porridge with Love

» Reflections

It feels good to get up in the morning and find breakfast on the table.

Dad got up early this morning to make Chinese fried tortilla from scratch and beef porridge. It’s a meal that Chinese from southern part of China eat for breakfast. I loved eating it when I was a kid. I always appreciate Dad’s cooking. As I sat at the table eating breakfast with Dad, I felt a sense of love and fulfillment. However, for a flash moment, I noticed my thought wondering how much longer will I be able to enjoy Dad’s presence.

For now, I will continue to cherish his porridge with love.

Know Your Rights, Performer and Workshop Facilitator

» Engagements, Reflections

As part of my way of appreciating the legacy of Dr. King’s dream, I participated in the Know Your Rights event that was organized by the Bay Area Youth Commission and sponsored by Lick-Wilmerding High School’s Center for Civil Engagement.

I had the privilege of kick starting the event with a poem and got approximately 250 people chanting “Peace, Love and Community”. However, I was inspired by the young poet Chinaka Hodge, who let her words flow like a series of soothing melodies. Then I was able to conduct a workshop on the importance of knowing your rights. When it was time for the participants to choose which workshop to go to, mine was the less popular. I’m sure me being an ex-con definitely had something to do with it. Fortunately, the twelve of so people in my workshop appreciated my sharing.

It’s good to see so many young people who are doing their part to live up to Dr. King’s dream of equality for all. Many of them will definitely be leaders who will lead this country.

Feeling Naked

» Reflections

Something didn’t seem right this morning when I got to work. I felt a sense of lightness. I didn’t know what caused that feeling until I reached for my waist and realized my work cell phone wasn’t there. I had left it charging at home. The first thought came to my mind was, “The phone’s going to be blown up with missed calls and messages.” Then I just accepted the fact that I’m going to be without phone for the day.

I carry two phones with me daily, one’s personal and the other for work. I wish I could combine the two, but personal and professional have to be separated.

When I got home, I did received some calls and messages. I totally forgot that I had an appointment for an interview on the phone. I didn’t like missing the call.

Cell phone has been apart of my life for almost four years. I did feel a little naked without it.

San Francisco Interfaith Council, Guest Speaker

» Engagements, Reflections

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, San Francisco, CA

I was invited by the San Francisco Interfaith Council’s (SFIC) Executive Director Michael Pappas as a guest speaker with Reentry Policy Director Jessica Flintoff at its monthly breakfast.

About 80 people from different faith based groups were present at the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Heritage Hall. I shared my poem “Autobiography @ 33” with them as an introduction. I spoke briefly about the importance of all communities coming together to help those who are incarcerated. I drew the parallel on how the prisoners are being treated like lepers in the leper colony of Prison Industrial Complex. Many of the community members reached out to me when I was in prison just as Jesus reach out to the lepers in the leper colony. Without the compassion demonstrated by people from the community, I would not have become who I am.

Members of SFIC are doing many great things helping people who are in need in our community. I want to encourage the interfaith council to play an active role in changing the policy that can steer California away from being number 1 in incarceration and number 50 in education.

Day Off

» Reflections

The irritation in my eyes were bothering me so I decided to take a day off. I rarely take time off from work since it seems like I have never ending work to do. I thought time would go by really slow, in the contrary, the day went by way too fast.

I made a list of things I needed to do and start doing it. I washed laundry, organized mail, paid my bills, cancelled my U verse internet service, went to the Post Office to return equipment and brought stamps, went to the bank to check my account balance, cooked a pot of soup and made dinner. I rode the stationary bike for 30 minutes, showered and ate dinner.

I was so caught up in doing all the chores that I forgot to go to the neighborhood town hall meeting. I also had plan to write a poem, but I didn’t get to it.

My eyes felt better after some rest. I still have endless things to do, but I enjoyed my day off.