50 years ago today, April 29, my family left Saigon. Boat, refugee camps, resettlement in the US. This is my origin story, my family story, the story I keep telling, to understand it. I didn’t write an op-ed or essay for this anniversary. Instead, just thinking about how the past keeps changing us.

Earlier today I quoted Prince to someone: “you can be the president / I’d rather be the pope.” Just realized today is also the ninth anniversary of his death. (He also sang, “I’d rather be so happy”) 😢💜

About to leave for the airport and the music in the hotel lobby is “we found love in a hopeless place” which feels so appropriate for AWP

In LA for AWP and almost all the clothes I brought are for LA rather than for AWP. Because we are not in Kansas City anymore

Because AWP is next week, here’s a piece I wrote for the Writer’s Chronicle last fall about, well, hookups and hot times at the conference writerschronicle.awpwriter.org/TWC/TWC/2024...

It is true: the U.S. government has disappeared a permanent resident because of his political activism. Yes, this is where we are.

I have no cultural or religious connection to this day; I just love all kinds of doughnuts. These excellent paczki (and other pastries) are from Bloom bake shop in Madison WI

On top of everything else, Love Is Blind S8 (Minneapolis) is so incredibly boring, I’m not sure whether to be proud or ashamed of these midwesterners

When the school district sends a 9 pm email basically saying sorry fuckers, you were hoping for no school tomorrow but we are staying open! Yeah it’s gonna be -20 wind chill but our threshold is -25 so put on some extra clothes hahaha

I stopped my social media break because of Love Is Blind S8. Minneapolis! Not that we have even escaped the pods yet, my god why do they have so many goblets

Saw people saying the info in that article on Gaiman was horrific. That’s the word I kept seeing. Yet I read it anyway. Or tried. People were correct. Horrific abuse, assault. Sickening.

Oh I’m pleased that Ali Wong got a Golden Globe for her comedy special. I still laugh thinking about divorced mom energy and I don’t care how many brain cells you have, I don’t care if you pronounce hors d’oeuvres “whores devours”

Saw Babygirl recently without reading anything about it ahead of time. Loved it. Was moved by it and by the complications. Appreciated how almost unnervingly average the guy is. Also, the music! “Never tear us apart” AND “Father figure”!

I need a new dentist because my current one stopped accepting my insurance but mostly because they play the saddest most despair-inducing music and it’s become unbearable. Why, good dentist, why

The time of year when I stress-bake and decorate cookies. Very soothing especially when alone and listening to choral music

I have to buy a refrigerator. French door style. I so dread doing this and am overwhelmed. Grateful for any recommendations

I was just in New Orleans and tried as many beignets as possible because I love them so much, and every single one is different re texture, rise, chew, shape. Going to do a bunch of research and make these at home soon

“To face unafraid the plans that we made” is the realest line of any holiday song ever

He says “muse,” I only see the word “use”

I was never a Cormac McCarthy fan and never will be. And in general I’m against the idea of viewing any writer or artist as some sort of preternatural legend

Current read: Danzy Senna’s Colored Television which I got at Prairie Lights bookstore in Iowa City. My cat Lloyd approves

A wholesome thing I do with my kids is watch old seasons of The Amazing Race. We started because we’re into geography and travel; we also stay for some of the wild relationship dynamics. Lots of good talks during and after. Recommend

Oh we’re posting unusual influences on our writing? One of my mine goes way back to 1987, Richard Peck’s Princess Ashley. I almost didn’t read it because of the title but it is moody and wistful and melancholy with a sharp sense of retrospective narration

Once again comfort-watching original “Frasier” while doing skin care, dishes, laundry. Oh those days before the internet, even before rolling luggage. As the Crane boys would say, very droll

Bought ORBITAL by Samantha Harvey at Literati books in Ann Arbor a couple of weeks ago, on a dear pal’s recommendation. Just read it and omg yes. A short wondrous and wondering novel about space, time, interiority, the unsaid, the unknown. I love a book that makes its own rules

This place seems rather serious and bookish so far, does no one want to discuss GBBO??

I was never the fastest runner so I’m tickled, delighted, and a little shocked that I can be bethnguyen here and not bethminhnguyen etc

I was here a year ago then kind of wandered away and forgot, and now I’m going to a better person. It’s like, I hate leaving my house but whenever I go to a party I remember that I love parties

According to Oprah Daily OWNER OF A LONELY HEART is one of the best memoirs of 2023, generously described by Leigh Newman as "a soon-to-be classic.” Please everyone feel feel to make this true www.oprahdaily.com/entertainmen...

I like seeing teenagers out trick-or-treating. I mean why not. I think grown-ups should too if they want. Candy for everyone dammit

If I am in her head forever / I am in your life forever. - Louise Gluck 💔

I’m just happy that OWNER OF A LONELY HEART still qualifies as a new book! Also, Paul Yoon’s THE HIVE AND THE HONEY is sooo good t.co/RryniWOGdl

Decided to take a chance and listen to “A Long December,” wondering if it would still feel like the end of college. Oh yes it still does and I still do enjoy that kind of hurt

Did you know that if you get divorced in the state of WIsconsin you have to wait at least 6 months before getting remarried, which means as of next month I can totally be on Love Is Blind: Middle-Aged

Wrote about Taylor Swift, Edith Wharton, double perspective, and how social media is a form of creative nonfiction lithub.com/beth-nguyen-...