A Letter From The Editor

Where do I begin? This is less of an editorial and more of a thank you letter. A thank you letter to all who have ever graced my life in one way or another. An unconventional acknowledgement to all those that have at one time or another made an indelible enough impression in my mind to make mention of here. I will break this down into several parts to express my appreciation in relevant categories.

Family:

To my mother:

You are first on the list for obvious reasons. I can’t imagine anyone questioning your force and dominance as the most influential person ever in my life. Your strength, your willpower, your ability to move mountains, persevere and overcome in any environment has left an indelible impact on who I am. If I can point out any negatives in all of this. It would be at a young age you may have fought too many of my battles for me. If that is the only thing I can say, then I have been the luckiest child ever. Your lioness approach to life has always made me feel safe, protected and loved. And also left me with a desire in adulthood to tell debt collectors to talk to my mother. I can only imagine how difficult it has been at times to sit by idly and watch me tear my own life apart. When I lived it as I wanted you to let me, when it collapsed you were always there waiting. The archetype of maternity, strong and firm when warranted, soft and nurturing when needed. I thank you for my existence.

To my Father:

Oh my father, a man of few words and often misunderstood. Not the first on the list but may well end up with the longest entry because there is just so much to say. A man I can’t fully remember telling me he loved me until I was well into my 30’s, though I always knew he did. A man whose punishments were quiet and speechless, never loud and violent. To disappoint him was always punishment enough. A man who would say “wait till your mother gets home” and mean it. A man who, though he has softened with age, will probably still strangle me for what I’m about to say. Never having a father he did not know how to be one. Often taking cues from uncles and other male figures in his family. His ability to cut people to the quick and sarcastic tendencies have manifested themselves in me. So thank him not me when I say some rude, disrespectful and truthful things about you.

However, what he didn’t know, what he could not have known, was that he would ascend to become the greatest grandfather and family man the world may ever come to know. His many hats include gifted abilities in carpentry, woodworking, auto repair, pool boy, marksmanship, guitarist, manufacturer of boutique fishing lures and the ability to engineer anything and everything he damn well puts his mind to. A true renaissance man, Leonardo Da Vinci ain’t got shit on this one! Only held back by his desire and drive, a man whose greatness has only been limited by his need to provide daily for his family. He can engineer and design anything his mind and environment requires, though it’s been limited by his fatherhood and continuous care of his family. It’s unfortunate to know that families have not benefited from the great minds of history, Da Vinci, Einstein, Newton and others, none of these bore children, devoured by their work, none planting the depths of their brilliance in offspring, but my father did. From the bottom of my heart thank you.

To my only Sibling:

What can I say, I’ve been a piece of shit to you many times in my life. I’ve been selfish, dismissive, unconcerned, I don’t call you daily, I’ve leaned on your kindness and generosity and said some horrible things to you at times over the years. The truth is I have always looked up to you and taken comfort in you. I think back to being a sophomore in high school and sitting in your dorm room at Georgia Tech watching you and your dorky engineering friends playing computer games that were light years ahead of what we were playing back home. I always admired your ability to be in places new, and exciting. Visiting you in all your locals, whether D.C. or San Diego have always been highlights in my life. Spending time with you is one of my favorite things to do.

You have always been the greatest big brother anyone could ever have. As a child I was often jealous and envious of your ability to master games and pretty much beat me at anything given enough time for your mind to work everything out. This has oftentimes manifested itself in me a desire to push further, harder and faster in my own life. Ever striving to dive into uncharted waters and swim the depths of life others are often afraid to reach. The subconscious and uncontrollable desire to triumph at all cost has unfortunately at times left bodies on the battlefield. You have helped shape my drive and have been a model of kindness, generosity, competitiveness, forgiveness, acceptance and of course frustration. All of these have been positive molders of the clay that is my life. For that I thank you.

To my maternal grandparents:

My grandfather was a man of few words. Resolute, towering, quietly loving, powerfully stern, a man I am fortunate to have known. Some even in my family may not know this, but my grandfather was instrumental in my becoming a Chef. He insured my two greatest vices in life, Pepsi and Reese cups and we spent our afternoons together after school watching Justin Wilson, Julia Childs and the Great Chefs series on PBS and I would imagine my Reese cups and bowls of soup being the magnificent dishes being served on screen by very young Wolfgang Puck’s and very old Julia Childs. Our afternoons were always quiet yet profound, I miss him dearly.

My grandmother has been my rock of ages. Loving, stern, often quiet, she has taught me the value of my faith and has always been the person to protect from all. To sit in my grandmother’s living room and talk to her is a place that can not be reproduced. It is the safest, most loving place I can ever be. Her Mac and cheese is enviable and I have used her recipe on many kids menus in my restaurants. Though she can’t cook as much as she once did, her knowledge of a kitchen also helped to establish my path. One of the greatest joys I have in life today is to pick my grandmother up on Sunday mornings and take her to church. She’s funny, loving, resilient and has incredible longevity genes, I hope to have her around for many more years to come.

To my wife:

I can’t even begin to put us into perspective for a paragraph or two. Your touch, your protective nature over me while I’m in your home country. The way you look at me, the way you cradle my face in your hands. I have never in my life felt so amazingly in love or loved. When disagreements do arise they are fleeting and unimportant. The importance of us always overcomes our problems. Your kindness, gentleness, hell your love for me brings something out in me that’s magical. I lose my wants and desires when I’m with you.

I don’t mean that in a negative way, but with you my selfishness, my arrogance, my narcissistic tendencies melt away. You’re my flower in the glass dome. Ever careful I have become to nurture it, love it, protect it. You are the only love I have ever had where your wellbeing and happiness outweighs my own. I truly did not know what love meant until you whispered the quiet, soft words into my ear. Your voice is like flowing honey, knowingly sweet yet patient in its receipt. The words dance off of your lips and float like fairies before resting in my ear. I love you deeply and will do anything to secure your place beside me forever.

To the rest of my family:

It’s hard to write something about everyone, I hope that is understood. To the Teresa’s, Don’s, Susan’s, Rick’s, Grace’s, Jeff’s, Stevie’s, Kathy’s, Donna’s, Dana’s, James’s (PawPaw’s) and Lisa’s, you have all been very important to me. Some more consistently, some here and there, all have been equally important and loved. Whether corralling me as a child, working with me as an adult or simply saying hey, how have you been and truly caring, I love you all. Thank you.

To the Chris’s (May you Rest In Peace), the Ryan’s, Shawn’s, Brittany’s, Christy’s, Mathew’s, little Stevie’s, Rob’s, Mary’s, Robbie’s, Hunter’s, Amber’s of the world, I love you all. To try and put all of our childhood memories in text would be endless. You know who you are and what amazing times we’ve shared. May there be many more!

To the greatest friends I’ve ever known:

To the Mike Patrick’s, Patrick Lewis’s, Jamie Nowak’s, Naty Pits, Nathan Lazenby’s, Greg Garrett’s, Quincy Nolley’s, Tommy Joseph’s, the Stevens Clan and my many brothers from scouting and life. The Dan Goldman’s, Gil Gainer’s, Jerry Day’s, Nancy’s, Jeff’s, Mandy’s, Karen’s, Chris’s and all the other unsaid church family. The greatest quote on friendship I’ve ever read I will offer you here, “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” No greater expression of friendship could ever be truer than what was simply said in that phrase.

I love you all and hope again to climb blood mountain in the rain, eat noodles under the stars and tumble down 3 switchbacks worth of trails to just say I beat you to the bottom. Blowing up ant hills, or strapping bottle rockets to the biggest insects we could find. Finding otters in that swamp of a canal behind Stalvey’s steakhouse. Stirring stew, roasting copious amounts of pig, and barbecuing our butts off, pun intended, for the greatest of causes. The friends I cherish most now have always been there, whether my eyes were clear enough to see. Thank you all.

Without Further Ado

So with all of the sentiments laid to bear, I introduce my wife, my partner, a woman whom I could have never imagined finding in all of my life. A woman so amazing that her voice melts my heart and her touch softens my soul. The strong, delicate flower that is, Diễm Thị Nguyễn.