Updates (June 23, 2024)

Life: Old age – When I turned 35 years old, life changed. I went to school for practical nursing at 35 in 2019. It was great but at my age it wasn’t growth, growth I felt. My parents and Vietnamese friends and family expected me to grow and grow to this point where I am now at 40 years old in 2024. Life is growth and you have to reach a stage where you can build stuff and create stuff. To be self sufficient and self reliant. When I go outside and shop at local Asian markets the culture is so different at times. The western culture dominates in all aspects of life when you get old in middle age. It is about learning and growing and spending time learning on your own. You reach a stage where no one understands you entirely and people don’t understand your needs. Even your wants are not understood. That is why older people stay home and start reading books and learn. They are at the age where learning and reading are the only things that is beneficial and safe.

Programming: It is getting easier but still a hurdle – I am programming websites with WordPress. I am learning how deep the ecosystem is. I only touched a little on it. If you took the time to really understand all the inner workings of WordPress I think that would be great! It is a system of 21 years of development (WordPress was released on May 27, 2003). To know the ins and outs of it is probably one of the greatest things you should do as a programmer/web developer. It could be such a life. It could be your life. Life is already set up if you just study this system for the next 4-5 years.

Life: After learning and working web development, it is time to grow differently and explore – I can build stuff now and all it takes is for me is to drink some coffee and look at some StackOverflow for help. What is life now? I hope to make some money doing this. In the meantime I can relax now and enjoy a movie. Building stuff gave me all I needed. And that required me to grow lots and also network a lot and with people of my culture to work with.

Life: I always thought life was something more and fun – When I was young, I enjoyed going out and exploring and talking about life and events with others. But life gets to the point that enjoyment is almost nil. I think you get to old age and realize that what is enjoyment is developing and working and learning. I guess you had to explore a lot and have lots of life changing experiences and reach life milestones to get to this point where learning, growing and developing are the things you need. What cemented me was seeing and talking to other Vietnamese born in Canada. We Vietnamese-Canadians are just growing to reach a old mature age of developing and growing and learning all day till the day is gone. And it is really not about making tons of money and not about social status or career status. It is about health and and calm learning mindset. What else can you do here in Canada but this?

Life: I used to think life was in Toronto or the city – I guess I did not get the same opportunities as my peers to live and grow in the city. But at my age now living in the city is expensive when you have no supports. I am winging life alone doing this web development. I had no real help to make life easy. I guess that is my life as a Vietnamese-Canadian.

Work: I guess you got to branch out on your own or with your groups – I can not get what I need working outside unless I work on my own or within my groups. I guess that is what it is.

Life: I always new to keep studying and working until you could build most things – I knew from the Western perspective was to educate yourself until you get to the point where you could build most things. Western people are all about that.

Life: Understanding that you should just talk to people on your wavelength mostly – After becoming who I am now, I realize there is no point in talking to people who are not on your wavelength to get comfort and understanding. Before I thought attaining more would allow me to express better and get more understanding but no. It is people on your wavelength and people around your age that give you what you need in life. You don’t have to fight for anything really. It is basically walking in life with people who value the things you do and think similar to you.