KHOA PHAM

2020 Retrospective

Seeing the world almost turned into chaos in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the racial crisis, the global scale of working, teaching and learning remotely, and the 2020 US election; I can't even imagine how much struggle other people had felt this year. It was a very challenging time for everyone, but I am happy that we made it through.

So what has the 2020 taught me?

Be patient

Even the 2020 seemed gone by so fast, when looking back there were many events happened that helped me to realize I need to be more patient. I've spent so much time chasing my tail trying to deal with stock market crashes, or sitting days at my desks trying to find something to do, or worrying about getting new works for Romance. When the whole country was almost shutting down, I was desperate and tried to fight against it, wanted to do something, but failed. I remember listening to "The Black Plague - Eric Burdon & The Animals" and looked out the windows worrying too much; then calmed myself by listening to "It’ll all be over - Supreme Jubilees". Now it's only few days away from 2021, when things seem to get better, I still need to remind myself to be patient and learn to care and love for my love ones.

Money can only buy comfort, not happiness

Living in America, one may confuse between living comfortably and living happily. The US is no where near top 10 happiness countries in the world. And the 2020 has helped me to see the differences between living comfortably and happily clearer. During the covid lockdown, I've been looking for things to buy, hoping that they might bring me joy, but they all ended up become extra things that I don't really need. I came to realize how much of capitalism and materialism in America have affected me. In fact, a $15 bottle of champaign is better than the $200 when drinking with friends, or living in a cottage with nice neighbor is inarguably better than alone in a mansion. Make no mistake, we all want to live comfortably and having enough money can help us with that. However, that doesn't always transform into happiness, like Leonard Nimoy once said in his "Consilium":

Money has never made anyone rich not any more as salt water can cure a man's thirst.
A poor man is not one who has little but one who desires much.

And that to me, what really bring true happiness are family, friendship and love.

The 3 songs that summed up my feeling of 2020. https://soundcloud.com/pmkhoa/the-songs-that-sum-up-my-2020

Some stats of 2020

Websites that I built:

Most enjoyed TV Shows

  • The Mandalorian
  • Watchman (HBO original series)
  • Queen Gambit
  • The Last Airbender
  • Rap Viet (Vietnamese Rap contest show)

Most listened albums and artists

  • Chances with wolves
  • The big day - Chance the Rapper
  • Jesus is King - Kanye West
  • Parklands - Hiatus
  • 猫 シ Corp.
  • Folklore - Taylor Swift
  • Đen (Vietnamese Rapper)
  • Suboi (Vietnamese Rapper)

Most enjoyed books.

  • The Best We Could Do - Thi Bui
  • A Promised Land - Barack Obama
  • Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
  • Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family

Most memorized sentence: "Someday it will be if it’s meant to be."