I guess it’s poetic that my Grandpa Gong (photo below) passed away while cooking.  22 years later, when I think of him, I hear a heavy cleaver pounding the counter,  the hiss of red meat tossed into a hot wok, and the inevitable tapping of bamboo chopsticks on ceramic bowls…searching for the last grain of rice. He was a wicked cook, and the sounds of him doing his art make an unforgettable backbeat for the memories of my childhood. Someday, I hope to work the pencil and paints as good as Grandpa worked the rice and veggies.

But I also remember how he sat in his plush recliner puffing on his old-timey pipe and blowing smoke rings to the rhythm of Chinese pop music…all while watching Jeopardy or the Seahawks AND browsing his favorite magazine - National Geographic. 

So the fact that I’m mentioned in this National Geographic (France) article featuring Tracy Rector of Longhouse Media is especially meaningful to me as I reflect a year full of amazing opportunities.