Monday Thoughts – On Punishing Thyself


Do you believe in unconsciously punishing yourself?

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Hello July 2025!


There goes June. Bye bye June, and hello July!

I am going to miss June just a tiny bit, just because I am now another month toward my first frost date. This means I should start thinking about the fall garden and all the things I need to plant before the colder months come to settle.

I actually sowed some Swiss Chard last night. The package said it’ll take 14-21 days to germinate, so I’m guessing by the time it matures, we should be nearing autumn. I’ve never grown Swiss Chard before nor have I tasted it but I’ve been told these are pretty hardy plants. Hopefully, I can grow it during the winter months. I’ve also begun harvesting my cherry tomatoes these last few days. I’m only getting 1-2 tomatoes off of a single plant but that’s a good start of what’s to come.

How to describe June 2025?

There are so many words I want to use to describe the month of June. One of them would be adventurous because I got to go on a road trip and visit some of the most remote places in the US. I still cannot believe I got to drive one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever been on again. It was the second time I’ve driven on Highway 95 – a scenic byway in Utah that showcases some of the most majestic scenery in the state. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

New Mexico also had some pretty scenery but nothing compared to Utah. The only thing I didn’t enjoy about New Mexico was the need to pass through the city of Albuquerque. Even Santa Fe wasn’t as bad and I do not recommend following Google Maps into the city. The city streets were so narrow that even in my rental compact SUV, I felt claustrophobic navigating the tight streets.

The other word I would use to describe the month of June would be chaotic. My emotions have been very chaotic for the past month, to the point where I was having an existential dilemma, as you’ve witnessed in yesterday’s post. Being with my mom is not easy, especially when I’m in a car all day and then in a motel room all night with her.

Even though she won’t admit it, she likes ordering people around. “Turn left, turn right, change lane, why are you changing lanes, I didn’t tell you to change lane.” At times during the road trip, when I got stuck behind a slow truck, part of me just want to zoom past the truck but wasn’t in the mood to be lectured. Sometimes, I do wonder if she cares about anyone’s emotions but her own.

Anyway, what to look forward to in July?

There’s a long-weekend this week as we celebrate America’s 249th birthday on Friday. I’m wanting to do a solo road trip soon, just somewhere close by. I’ve been researching some of Utah’s scenic backways, which I find it’s more beautiful than byways. So hopefully I get to do that.

Monday Thoughts – They don’t know me


Just to preface…

I have been putting off on broadcasting this thought on my blog but this has been screaming on repeat in my brain that I can’t take it anymore. I don’t know why I would have this thought but I suppose anyone would probably have this thought at some point of their life.

Anyway, this can classified as somewhat of an existential crisis so be prepared…

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That Vicious Wind!


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Hello June 2025!


Why, what do you know? June’s here or I should say, the start of the dog days of summer.

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Monday Thoughts – A Couple of Thoughts


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Hello May 2025!


Another month has come and gone, 2025 is now one-third through and two-thirds to go. Welcome May 2025!

As I’m writing this post, I have just returned from a 30-minute rabbit-hole called Amazon after my 6-year-old computer mouse had decided to quit on the last day of April but to be honest, I feel like it was on its way out. Something like a computer mouse can only survive so many drops and falls.

Anyway, what did you think of April? Was it too fast? Too slow? Boring?

There were days where I wish May would get here while there were days I wished April would stay just a tad longer. April has generally been a busy month at work and in the garden. This year, though, because I planted out most of the cool-weather crops in late March and early April, April had been a daily check-in and basic maintenance like watering as well as frequent admiration of the blooming flowers.

I spent a lot of April in the garden pulling weeds. Each time it rained, the weeds would grow 10-fold. The biggest offenders in my yard are bind weed, dandelion, and dropped seeds from last year’s flowers. I have calendula, poppies, and sunflowers pop up everywhere, especially between the cracks of the patio pavers. “Not here,” I would often say to it.

I’ve already mowed the lawn twice so far, which is a record as I don’t usually start mowing until the start of May. My junk of a lawn mower had such a hard time starting that I so wanted to throw it away and replace with one that doesn’t have an engine and doesn’t drink expensive premium gas like it’s water, except my mom wouldn’t let me get rid of this thing.

The biggest thing in April was probably the Tulips Festival. I was there days after it opened and though a lot of the flowers were not blooming yet, I still had a great time.

There were plenty of walks around the park in April. Headphones or earbuds would usually be in my ears with a podcast or audiobook playing. I’ve found it helpful to help me practice mindfulness as I walked, which allowed me to observe my surrounding like these dandelions.

April also saw a lot of harvests of 2024 and 2025 vegetables. I remember someone once said, “seeds know when to germinate,” the spinach seeds I sowed late last year germinated, the lettuce that stopped growing last November resumed growing, and the single snow-pea plant that survived the winter are beginning to flower. Let’s just say I’m having an abundance of vegetables in the garden at the moment.

In April, I participated in the A-Z challenge with my theme of Places, which is a collection of all the places I’ve been. It was surprising that I managed to come up with a place for each letter. I’ll do a reflection in a different post.

Now, as to what I’m looking forward in May, not much, except a road trip during Memorial Day weekend. My mom, aunt, and I are heading to Goblin Valley State Park in southern Utah. I wish I can go without the other two but let’s face it, my mom would’ve never let me go alone.

Let’s hope May is a better month.

Monday Thoughts – Loading…


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Monday Thoughts – Luck of the Draw


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Hello April 2025!


It feels like Mother Nature has decided to bring winter back as a April Fools joke. Haha, very funny!

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Monday Thoughts – Argentina???


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Day 13: Taipei, Taiwan


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Day 12: Taipei, Taiwan


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Day 11: Taipei, Taiwan


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Day 10: Kumamoto, Japan


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Day 9: Kumamoto, Japan


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Day 8: Kumamoto, Japan


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Day 7: Kumamoto, Japan


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Taiwan and Japan Day 6


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Taiwan Day 5


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Taiwan Day 4


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Taiwan Day 3


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Taiwan Day 2


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