Nicki Chen's Blog, page 14

Need Something Fun to Read?

The news is really a downer these days, right? If you’re tired of what you’ve been reading in the newspaper and hearing on the radio and TV, here’s a suggestion: Jennifer J. Chow’s cozy mystery, Mimi Lee Gets a Clue. … Continue reading →

On My Walk: Thinking about Robinson Crusoe

Sometimes I listen to music on my walks, maybe a podcast: Hidden Brain or The Moth. Mostly, though, I simply walk, looking at the flowers and trees and waving at other walkers and their dogs. (And yes, we keep six … Continue reading →

Like a Mask Dancing

I have a treat for you today: an interview with Sally Stiles. Sally and I met in the early 1990s in the beautiful little New England town of Montpelier, VT, where we studied at Vermont College of Fine Arts. After … Continue reading →

Silence in the Park

An afternoon in April in the time of COVID-19 The swings aren’t swinging. The children aren’t sliding or climbing or crawling into whatever that gray thing is. Softball games will have to wait. Picnic tables are silent and alone, waiting … Continue reading →

Social Distancing and the People We Miss

Stay at home? No problem. I like staying home. I’m a writer. I can always write. I have books, computer, TV, phone, plenty of food and enough toilet paper to last a while. People call me–my daughters and my sister … Continue reading →

The Paradox of Doing by Not Doing When the Enemy Is a Virus

After the United States declared war on Japan (December 8, 1941) and then on Germany (December 11, 1941), there was a lot to do, and people did it. They enlisted and shipped off to fight overseas. They bought war bonds. … Continue reading →

Epidemics, Pandemics, and My Family History

I don’t know if I’d ever heard of my dad’s sister, Norah Mary. If so, I must have forgotten all about her. A few years ago, though, my sister and cousin fell into what some people call the genealogy rabbit … Continue reading →

Surprises and a Custom Village on the Island of Tanna

Surprises are a part of life. They’re what keep us from boredom and excessive routine, and for the most part, we welcome them. Authors and film writers take advantage of our love of surprises by leaving us in suspense until … Continue reading →

Mom’s Trip to Yasur Volcano – Part 2

Having lived all our lives on the Pacific Ring of Fire, my mom and I were comfortable with volcanoes. You might even say we were fans. Mt. Baker, an active volcano, was our hometown mountain, and we loved it. Can … Continue reading →

Mom’s Trip to Yasur Volcano, Part 1

When your mom comes to visit you in a small developing country, you don’t take her to museums and cathedrals. You take her to the beach or for a walk around town. You arrange an all-day cruise, and even though … Continue reading →